Virtues Of Dialogue!

As government works to meet the needs of aggrieved teachers following instructions from the Head of State, with the pious hope that effective teaching and learning resume in schools across the country, one thing stands out- Dialogue once undertaken frankly and in all sincerity almost always pays off. If the President of the Republic could come to such a laudable and timely decision, it is thanks to grievances legitimately expressed through legally-acceptable means by precious nation builders who felt cheated and reasonably sought redress.
Tongues might have gone wagging as some authorities from the onset opted for unenviable intimidation while students in some parts of the country took the lead; either instigated or out of solidarity with their teachers, to make the call louder. But the virtue of dialogue which has been the hallmark of the Head of State was made to prevail to arrive at what is seen now by many as a happy denouement. Government and the aggrieved teachers sat and spoke candidly. 
In effect, if the loud, clear and reasonable cry of teachers has been heard and solutions proposed with well outlined timeframes, it is because the government and the governed came together under one reasoning cap. Two separate concertation meetings at the Prime Minister’s Office; with representatives of basic and secondary school teachers’ trade unions, paved the way for mutual understanding out of the teachers’ strike that looked negligible from the start but which was almost rallying storm that could sweep the education system if poorly handled.
After the March 1, 2022 conclave with representatives of secondary school teachers’ trade unions, government again on March 3 held a similar session with teachers’ trade unions of basic education. These working sessions depicted the Head of State’s willingness to provide concrete solutions to problems bedevilling effective functioning of the education community in the country. Such solutions could only come after calmly listening to those who toil sometimes under deplorable conditions to prepare the country’s youngsters on whom Cameroon’s tomorrow relies. Clearly outlining what should be done at the end of March, in May, June and onward as President Paul Biya has instructed, shows sincerity in squarely handling a problem as serious as that of teachers with its likely wide-ranging consequences.
Insisting on the continuation of dialogue between government and teachers is evocative of determination to give the education sector the tranquillity it needs to arm Cameroon’s future leaders with necessarily techniques to stand the test of time in a very challenging world. Understandably so as any country or family aspiring to be better tomorrow relies on a well-trained young generation.  Difficult to have such high hopes and handle lightly problems of teachers who have been vested with the techniques to lay solid foundations for a better tomorrow. For, knowledge that comes from good education...