The temporary teachers to be recruited will be fully supported and remunerated by the parents of the Raymond Boukat Complex in Mindoubé 2, one of the largest complete secondary schools, located in 5th district of Libreville. The Parents’ Association (APE) of this school has issued a call for contributions to all parents of children attending this school, we learned.
According to consistent information collected from numerous parents of students at the Raymond Boukat Complex in Mindoubé 2, speaking on condition of anonymity, each parent of students was asked to contribute three thousand five hundred (3500) CFA francs.
“After the APE fees which conditioned the re-registration of children in this school and the lists of supplies and other works that teachers continue to ask for to this day, now we ourselves must recruit and pay teachers, if we want to see our children be educated in certain scientific disciplines, in a state school please”, said upset Nathan O., parent of a student enrolled in 4th at CES Raymond Boukat in Mindoubé 2.
Other indiscretions gleaned on site, both from students, their parents and teachers, indicate that since the opening of the current 2024-2025 school year, many classrooms, exam classes in particular, have never taken the slightest lesson in maths, physical science or English, for lack of teachers.
“In my son’s class, there has been neither a maths teacher nor an English teacher since the start of the school year. As he has to take the BEPC, I had to anticipate by taking tutors from him in these two disciplines, already last year either, the maths teacher was missing for a long time, almost the entire first term, in the class where he was registered in 4th. »declared a very upset Chantal O.
The Raymond Boukat Complex, a full-cycle secondary school, from grade 6th in final year, is one of the most populous in Greater Libreville, which should have no less than five thousand (5000) students. Simply based on an average of two thousand (2000) students, this school’s APE kitty is about to collect a whopping seven million (7,000,000) CFA francs. In other words, a real fortune.
“To think that we haven’t stopped harping on about free education in the Gabonese Republic, even though in reality almost nothing is free. We pay for everything and if necessary, we have no choice here at Raymond Boukat but to respond to the call of the APE, if we want our children to learn in all disciplines. But honestly it’s annoying”fumed Yasmine T. mother of a student in second grade.
“However, we were told that we recruited 900 teachers this year. While we believed that the teacher deficit problem would at least be resolved, it is quite the opposite. We have the feeling that it has even gotten worse,” understands Marc L. who says he considers all comments mentioning free education in Gabon as ‘a joke in bad taste’.
Alph’ – Willem Eslie
2024-10-28 13:35:00
#Raymond #Boukat #Complex #Mindoubé #recruiting #Maths #English #teachers
**Interview with Nathan O., Parent of a Student at Raymond Boukat Complex in Mindoubé 2**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Nathan. As a parent at the Raymond Boukat Complex, you’re facing a challenging situation regarding the recruitment of temporary teachers. Can you elaborate on what’s happening at the school?
**Nathan O.:** Thank you for having me. Yes, it’s been quite distressing. The Parents’ Association has asked us, the parents, to contribute 3,500 CFA francs each to recruit and pay temporary teachers ourselves. This comes on top of other fees we’ve already paid for re-registration and the costs of supplies.
**Editor:** It’s certainly concerning that parents are being asked to cover the costs of teachers. What has prompted this situation?
**Nathan O.:** Sadly, many classrooms have been without teachers for core subjects like maths, physics, and English since the school year started. My child is in the fourth grade and hasn’t had a maths or English teacher at all; this is particularly problematic with upcoming exams.
**Editor:** That sounds incredibly stressful for both parents and students. How are parents responding to this request for additional contributions?
**Nathan O.:** There’s a mix of frustration and resignation. We all want our children to receive a proper education, but it feels overwhelming. We’ve already been asked for so many fees, and now we have to fund the hiring of teachers too.
**Editor:** Have the parents considered any alternatives to this funding model?
**Nathan O.:** Some parents are voicing concerns and feel that it should be the responsibility of the government to ensure that schools are adequately staffed. But there’s also a sense of urgency—if we don’t act, we fear our kids will fall behind.
**Editor:** You mentioned that the school has a substantial number of students. Is there any transparency about where the contributions are going?
**Nathan O.:** The APE has mentioned that with around 2,000 students, we could collectively raise about 7 million CFA francs, which is a significant amount. However, many parents want more clarity on exactly how these funds will be managed and utilized.
**Editor:** Lastly, what do you hope might come from this situation in the future?
**Nathan O.:** We hope for more accountability and support from the government to provide qualified teachers for our children. The educational quality in our community depends on it, and no parent should have to worry about paying for fundamental education.
**Editor:** Thank you for sharing your insights, Nathan. It’s an important issue that needs attention from the wider community and authorities.
**Nathan O.:** Thank you for giving me the chance to voice our concerns. It’s critical that we advocate for our children’s education and well-being.
**Nathan O.:** While some parents have discussed reaching out to local government representatives or educational authorities for assistance, it feels like we are left to fend for ourselves. We’re considering petitioning for more transparency regarding the school’s budget and the allocation of resources. However, many feel disheartened by the lack of responsiveness from those in charge.
**Editor:** It sounds like a community effort is desperately needed. In light of these challenges, what do you hope to see from the school and the government moving forward?
**Nathan O.:** We want accountability. We should not have to bear the burden of recruiting and paying teachers while paying taxes for education. It’s frustrating to hear about government claims of free education when we face these realities daily. We hope the school administration will take our concerns seriously and that the government will prioritize hiring qualified teachers to alleviate this situation for all families.
**Editor:** Thank you, Nathan, for sharing your experience. It highlights the pressing need for reforms in educational funding and resources in Gabon. We wish you and the other parents the best in your efforts to advocate for your children’s education.
