LAW N098/004 OF 4TH APRIL 1998

THE ORIENTATION OF EDUCATION IN CAMEROON

TITLE I - GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1: (1) This law shall lay down the general legal framework for education in Cameroon.

Cameroon.

(2) It shall apply to nursery, primary, general secondary and technical education, as well as to
teacher training.

Article 2: (1) Education is a major national priority.

(2) It shall be provided by the State.

(3) Private partners contribute to the provision of education.

Article 3: The State shall enshrine bilingualism at all levels of education as a factor of national
unity and integration.

Article 4: The general mission of education is to train the child for intellectual, physical, civic
and moral development and harmonious integration into society, taking into account economic,
socio-cultural, political and moral factors.

Article 5: Under the general mission defined in article 4 above, education shall have the
following objectives:

1. The training of citizens rooted in their own culture, but open to the world and respectful of the
general interest and the common good;

2. Training in the great universal ethical values of dignity and honour, honesty and integrity, and
a sense of discipline;

3. Education for family life

4. The promotion of national languages;

5. Initiation to the culture and practice of democracy, respect for human rights and freedoms,
justice and tolerance, the fight against all forms of discrimination, love of peace and dialogue,
civic responsibility and the promotion of regional and sub-regional integration;

6. The culture of love of effort and hard work, the quest for excellence and the spirit of
partnership;
7. The development of creativity, initiative and entrepreneurship;

8. The physical, sporting, artistic and cultural training of the child,

9. The promotion of hygiene and health education.

Article 6: The State shall ensure the right of the child to education.

Article 7: The State shall guarantee equal opportunities of access to education for all without
discrimination on grounds of political, philosophical and religious opinions, social, cultural,
linguistic or geographical origin.

Article 8: Education is apolitical.

Article 9: Primary education is compulsory.

Article 10: Public schools are secular. Its neutrality and independence from all religions are
guaranteed.

TITLE II - FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EDUCATIONAL POLICY

AND FINANCING OF EDUCATION

Article 11: (1) The State shall ensure the elaboration and implementation of the education policy
to [which] the decentralised territorial authorities, families as well as public and private
institutions. To this end, it shall:

 Decide on the objectives and general orientations of national education and training
programmes, in liaison with all sectors of national life with a view to the
professionalization of education;

 Ensure the permanent adaptation of the education system to the national economic and
socio-cultural realities as well as to the international environment, particularly with
regard to the promotion of scientific and technological education, bilingualism and the
teaching of national languages;

 Set the conditions for the creation, opening and operation of public and private
establishments and ensure their control;

 Define the construction and equipment standards of public and private educational
establishments and ensures their control;

 Draw up and updates the “school mapping” (la carte scolaire).

(2) It shall be assisted in these tasks by a consultative body, the National Council of Education,
whose organisation, powers and functioning shall be determined by decree of the President of the
Republic.
Article 12: The financing of education shall be ensured by: budgetary allocations from the State,
budgetary allocations from decentralised territorial authorities, contributions from education
partners, donations and legacies, and any other contribution provided for by the law.

Article 13: The responsibility of decentralized local authorities in the implementation of

education policy and the financing thereof is(shall be) subject to a special law.

TITLE III - ORGANIZATION, EVALUATION OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

AND EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Chapter I: On the organisation of the education system

Article 14: The organisation and control of education at all levels are imperative duties of the
State.

Article 15: (1) The education system is organised into two sub-systems, one English-speaking
and one French-speaking, through which the national option of biculturalism is reaffirmed,

(2) The above-mentioned educational subsystems shall coexist, each retaining its specificity in
the methods of evaluation and certification.

Article 16: (1) The English-speaking sub-system shall be organised in cycles and streams as
follows:

Nursery education of two (2) years duration; primary education of six (6) years; secondary
education of seven (7) years; post-primary education of two (2) years; teacher training of two (2)
to three (3) years.

(2) Secondary education comprises: a first cycle of five (5) years with a two (2) year observation
sub-cycle in common core (en tronc commun) and a three (3) year orientation sub-cycle for
general and technical education; a second cycle of two (2) years for general and technical
education.

(3) In addition to general education, practical training is offered to students in vocational

colleges and high schools, depending on their orientation.

Article 17: (1) The French-speaking subsystem shall be organised in cycles and streams as
follows:

Nursery education lasting two (2) years; primary education lasting six (6) years; secondary
education lasting seven (7) years; post-primary education lasting two (2) years; normal education
lasting two (2) to three(3) years.
(2) Secondary education comprises: a first cycle of five (5) years with an observation sub-cycle
in common core(en tronc commun) of two (2) years and an orientation sub-cycle of three (3)
years for general or technical education.

(3) In addition to general education, practical training shall be offered to students in vocational
colleges and high schools, depending on their orientation.

Article 18: (1) Diplomas shall be awarded in each subsystem as follows: at the end of the
primary education cycle; at the end of the first cycle of secondary education; at the end of the
second cycle of secondary education; at the end of post-primary education; at the end of teacher
training.

(2) The transition to the second cycle of secondary education shall be conditional upon the award
of the first cycle diploma.

(3) A decree of the President of the Republic shall determine the qualifications of the education
system.

Article 19: The teaching in cycles and streams, as well as the modalities of choice and change of
the said streams, are fixed by regulation.

Article 20: (1) Professional circles shall, as far as necessary, be associated with the elaboration
and implementation of the policy of work-linked training, of the contents and means of training
as well as the evaluation and validation of the results of this training.

(2) A decree of the President of the Republic shall determine, where necessary, the organisation
and operation of the work-linked training system.

Article 21: The objectives and general orientations of the national education(teaching) and
training programmes as well as the national school calendar shall be determined by regulation.

Article 22: (1) The school year shall consist of at least 36 weeks of actual classes.

(2) The rhythm of teaching shall include study periods and holiday periods.

Article 23: (1) Education shall be provided in the following schools

(1) Education shall be provided in the following schools: nursery schools; primary schools;
general secondary and high schools; technical or vocational secondary and high schools; post-
primary schools; teacher training colleges for general and technical education(ENIET & ENEIG).

(2) It may also be provided through a distance learning system.

Article 24: (1) Private educational institutions shall contribute to the tasks(missions) of
education.
(2) They may be free or under contract.

(3) The regime of private education shall be determined by a specific law.

Article 25: Teaching in schools shall take into account the evolution of science and technology
and, in its contents and methods, shall be adapted to the economic, scientific, technological,
social and cultural developments of the country and of the international environment.

Article 26: Any establishment of a public or private institution on the national territory must be
done in accordance with the guidelines and criteria defined by regulation.

Article 27: (1) The premises of an educational institution are inviolable.

(2) Heads of schools shall be responsible for maintaining order in their schools.

(3) The intervention of the forces of law and order may only take place at the express request of
the head of the school.

(4) In the event of failure to carry out their task of maintaining law and order, the heads of
schools shall be replaced by the hierarchical or supervisory authorities as of right.

Article 28: (1) Any establishment of gaming halls, drinking establishments, cinemas, tobacco
shops and any other nuisance is prohibited within the school premises or periphery of schools.

(2) However, the sale of hygienic beverages may be authorised within schools.

Article 29: Guidance and school psychology activities shall be carried out during the child's
schooling at all levels of education.

Chapter II: Evaluation of the education system and educational research

Article 30: The State shall regularly evaluate the education system.

Article 31: (1) The State shall encourage and support educational research activities.

(2) Educational research activities shall be conducted by bodies whose establishment,

organisation and functioning are determined by the law,

(2) Educational research activities shall be conducted by bodies whose creation, organization and
functioning shall be determined by regulation.

TITLE IV - THE EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY

Chapter I: On the notion of educational community

Article 32: (1) The educational community is the group of natural and legal persons who
contribute to the functioning, development and influence of a school [establishment].
(2) The following are members of the educational community: managers, administrative and
support staff, teachers, parents, pupils, socio-professional circles, decentralised territorial
authorities.

Article 33: The members of the educational community shall be associated, through their
representatives, to the consultation and management bodies set up at the level of the educational
institutions, as well as at each level of consultation of the decentralised territorial authorities or
national education structures.

Chapter II: Pupils

Article 34: Pupils shall have the right to the teaching prescribed by the curriculum. This right
shall be exercised with strict respect for the pupil's freedom of expression, thought, conscience
and information.

Article 35: The physical and moral integrity of pupils is guaranteed in the education system.

The following are therefore prohibited:

Physical abuse and all other forms of violence, discrimination of any kind, the sale, distribution
and consumption of alcoholic beverages, tobacco and drugs.

Article 36: (1) The obligations of pupils shall consist in the performance of the tasks inherent in
their studies.

(2) They include the respect of the texts in force, including the internal regulations of the school
attended.

Chapter III: Teachers

Article 37: (1) The teacher is the main guarantor of the quality of education and shall be entitled,
within the limits of available means, to suitable living conditions and to appropriate initial and
in-service training.

(2) The State shall ensure the protection of teachers and guarantee their dignity in the exercise of
their duties.

(3) A decree of the President of the Republic shall determine the special status of the personnel
of the of the education corps.

Article 38: A teacher shall enjoy, within the framework of academic freedom and in the exercise
of his duties, complete freedom of expression, with strict respect for the freedom of conscience
and opinion of pupils.

Article 39: (1) A teacher shall be subject to the obligation of teaching, education, pedagogical
supervision, scientific promotion, evaluation and moral rectitude.
 (2) He shall, moreover, be subject to the respect of the texts in force, in particular the internal
regulations of the establishment where he/she performs teaching duties.

TITLE V - TRANSITIONAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 40: The education system governed by this law shall be progressively put in place by
implementing legislation.

Article 41: The education system in force shall remain and continue to function until the
intervention of the implementing texts provided for in Article 40 above.

Article 42: The present law shall be registered, published according to the emergency procedure,
and then inserted in the Official Gazette in French and English.