Cameroon Teachers Launch Four-Day Nationwide Strike Disrupting New School Term

On Tuesday, April 22, 2025, teachers across Cameroon launched a four-day nationwide strike, affecting both public and private schools throughout the country.

The strike disrupted the start of the third term of the academic year, which was scheduled to begin on the same day.

This movement, dubbed “École morte” (meaning “Dead School”), was organized by COREC, a coalition comprising ten major teacher unions. The unions collectively demand greater recognition of the challenges facing the education sector.

Among their key demands are the establishment of a permanent National Education Forum that would allow continuous dialogue about problems in the education system, and the revision and enhancement of the special status granted to teachers, aiming to provide them with the conditions necessary to fully dedicate themselves to their profession.

The teachers had issued an early warning about the strike in March 2025, clearly stating their intention to disrupt activities in both public and private institutions if their grievances were not addressed.

According to RFI, following the notice, the Cameroonian government initiated discussions with representatives of the teacher unions. Meetings were held with officials from various government departments to address the issues raised, including one major session on April 17, 2025, at the Ministry of Public Service and Labor, which focused on examining the teachers’ employment status.

The strike comes just as educational authorities in Cameroon had announced the opening of the third and final school term, alongside the scheduled beginning of important student examinations.

Teachers are hopeful that their collective action will pressure the government into taking decisive steps to address their concerns and improve the country’s education system.