A heated debate has been on on social media platforms, especially Facebook on whether or not military men are qualified enough and supposed to give lessons to kids in the troubled regions of the country while carrying guns along.
This comes after images of an element of the Rapid Intervention Battalion, popularly known as BIR carrying a gun while giving Mathematics lectures to kids visibly less than ten-year-old went viral.
Commenting the pictures, some internet users held the view that most of the soldiers are “school drop outs” and as such cannot offer quality education to the children. Others have advanced security reasons to denounce the action, indicating that no kid is supposed to study in an unsecured environment, where the same military men teaching parade with guns all around.
“How much pedagogy do these guys master. Besides, most of them were recruited on the fact that they were successful in the physical and medical tests. You have friends or relatives in the BIR, we both know that some of them are school dropouts. So what are they teaching to the children, brutality I suppose…” An internet user drooped as comment.
“This is arrant nonsense. You cannot go parading in a class carrying a gun saying you are teaching. Teaching what? Just see those kids. Very innocent…” Another one bounced in.
Contrary to the above, others believe military men are more than fit for such a job in an environment that compels teachers to stay home. “We have medical doctors, teachers, philosophers, mechanics, engineers, lawyers, nurses, business tycoons and so many in the BIR and military. This image is super cool for not any kind of human is given a calk.” One road
“I don’t know what the poster is thinking but this is the best thing I have seen on Facebook concerning the Cameroon crisis. Respect to the BIR.” “All is see is happy kids in a classroom. Very happy to be in school. Period!” “Isn’t it good? Instead, for our children to be at home and become rebels, illiterates…this is good. I applaud the BIR” Three others added.
It should be noted that this is not the first time images of the military in Cameroon’s troubled regions offering lectures go viral. Ever since separatist fighters began using threats to keep children and teachers away from classrooms, the military has been substituting itself to ensure those who brave insecurity and get to school are educated.
Reports from the two troubled regions have it that this year, the situation is much more different as a good number of schools that had had their doors closed for the past three to five years welcomed students as some of the rebels, for the first time, have indicated the children should be spared from the close to five years conflict.
Ariane Foguem
