Handling: No student pregnant by a teacher in Ngaoundal
In its publication of January 19th 2022, the newspaper “L’oeil du Sahel” carried a story indicating that some 26 secondary school students in the locality of Ngaoundal in the Adamawa region have been impregnated by their teachers and this information it became viral on different Facebook pages. But after verification, it turns out to be fake news.
On the evening of January, 19 2022 the newspaper “L’oeil du Sahel”which was published online carried the story titled “Ngaoundal 26 élèves enceintées par des enseignants” – translated as 26 girls get pregnant for their teachers. A few hours after the publication of this paper by the publisher Guibai Gatama on his Facebook page, it became viral with comments and interactions pouring in while others shared the information severally. Claudionjalla, a Facebook user immediately carried the information which in the space of no time accumulated over 1500 likes, 153 comments, and 4 shares. Many individuals on this post did not hesitate to castigate the teachers of Ngaoundal while others accused students for poor moral standards. Another category simply expressed doubts about the information.
Other Facebook groups like Adamaoua Ngaoundere, with over 85 000 members shared the same story. Within another Facebook group having as name NGAOUNDAL AD09 with 7 000 members on that same day made a similar post with the following words “Selon l’Oeil du Sahel, 26 élèves enceintées par les Professeurs du Lycée à Ngaoundal…”
To verify the authenticity of this claim that went viral our research lead us to a chat with officials of Government Bilingual High School (GBHS), Ngaoundal where the principal Hamadou Djibril states clearly that “There is no guilty relationship between students and teachers in Ngaoundal”. He adds that “there is no teacher responsible for any students’ pregnancy in secondary schools of Ngaoundal”.
In addition, an English Language and Literature in English teacher at GBHS Ngaoundal, Eyong Tabi when questioned about the 26 cases of students with unwanted pregnancies caused by teachers, she does not hesitate to say “it is fake news”. She continues by confirming that only two students are pregnant in the school. One in Form five and another in upper sixth with teachers not at all responsible for these pregnancies.
Still during the verification process, the Divisional Delegate of Secondary Education for the Djerem, Aboubakar Garba was contacted and in an interview granted, he affirmed that after an emergency meeting with all heads of institutions and education stakeholders, it is confirmed that 7 secondary school students are pregnant in Ngaoundal but no teacher is responsible.He goes further to establish a list of schools with the exact number of pregnant cases as seen on the table below but emphasizes that teachers are not responsible.
| No | Name of Institution | Number of Pregnant Cases |
| 1 | GTHS Ngaoundal | 1 |
| 2 | GBHS Ngaoundal | 1 |
| 3 | GSS Ngaoundal | 3 |
| 4 | GTC Ngaoundal Gare | 1 |
| 5 | GTC Danfili | 1 |
| 6 | GTC Panger | 0 |
| 7 | GTC Beka Gotto | 0 |
| 8 | Amibo College | 0 |
Table: Number of girls pregnant in schools of Ngaoundal during the fake News
Source: Djerem Divisional Delegation of Secondary Education
All these facts and declarations debunk the news of 26 students impregnated by their teachers in the locality of Ngaoundal in the Adamawa region of Cameroon.
The debunking of such information is relevant now because it comes weeks after Cameroon’s Minister of Secondary Education Pauline Nalova Lyonga signed a decision stipulating new modalities on the way pregnant students should be treated. The decision signed on April 22 permits maternity leave for pregnant students after the 26th week of pregnancy. It adds that the student can continue with classes after giving birth. The minister further states in her decision that disciplinary measures must be taken against teachers and other supervisory staff responsible for any student’s pregnancy.
The decision simply highlights the fact that girls will no longer suffer the prejudice of abruptly ending their education as a result of pregnancies, especially in an education priority zone like the Adamawa, but more importantly the decision reveals the firm tone with which the Minister calls for severe punishment to be meted on any teacher or staff found guilty of impregnating a student.
6th Cohort AFFCameroon with the support of #defyhatenow and the technical support of DataCameroon
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