Exceptionally and abnormally so! Students and pupils in Bamenda and a majority part of English speaking Cameroon went for the 2016 Christmas break without writing exams and eventually without report cards. This as a result of Anglophone Teachers strike which started November 21, 2016.

After the failed Ad hoc committee meeting in Bamenda attended by three Government Ministers of Education, administrators in the region have been multiplying meetings at various levels in the last few days in a bid to talk teachers to school come January 9, 2017.
At the close of the Ad hoc committee first come together December 27, 2016 from which the teacher’s trade unions representatives walked out thus ending the meeting prematurely, the striking teachers representatives submitted that they were not ready to continue with talks if 1) the South West Region did not have representation in the committee and 2) the youths arrested during the December 8, 2016 anti CPDM march protest are not released (a community request Tasang Wilfred CATTU ENSG maintained.)
Wednesday January 4, 2017 representatives from the South West Region were added into the Ad hoc Committee. Though some of the youths arrested were released, the teachers for the community say there are still a good number being held in detention and must be released before dialogue continues.
During the Regional administrative and security meeting January 5, 2017 in Kumbo, back to school was at the center. According to North West Governor Adolph Lele L’Afrique, government has opened dialogue and so parents should send their children to school. In Nkambe Headquarters of Donga Mantung Division, the Senior Divisional Officer SDO has held a meeting with school authorities asking them to resume school come Monday. Though the teachers expressed dissatisfaction with the call, some school Principals have gone ahead to convene meetings in school same day. It has been the scenario in Bamenda, and nearby towns like Bafut, Ndop, Mbengwi and others.
Meeting in Bamenda this Friday January 6, 2017, the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium disclaimed a circulating press release No 13 calling off the strike and stated that as far as they are concern Bamenda should observed a “ghost town” void of any activity come Monday January 9, 2017 in a bid to prevent any possible school re-opening. Unofficial voices have been heard threatening any schools, parents or administrators whose school will be seen open with destruction.
While parents think their money is being swindled by school owners since schools are not effective hence need for a refund, a Nursery and Primary School owner notes “we have to pay teachers even with the money we have not been able to collect. You know if you don’t pay teacher and others hear you will not go free. I can’t give money to parents because as you know many parents complete fees during the second term and even third. Most of us start the school with personal funds before a few begin to pay as the first term goes on.”
The teachers went on strike demanding redress to a couple of preoccupations amongst them; the non-respect of the Anglo-Saxon character of the Universities of Bamenda and Buea,  the admission of Francophones Francophones as Deans, Heads of Departments etc in violation of Decree No 2011/045 of 8/3/2011 creating and organizing Uba, Weak representation of Anglophones in teaching and support staff positions in the Universities of Bamenda and Buea, Lack of French teachers in the Anglophone secondary sub-system of education, Non respect of Francophone secondary education sud-system of respect of the principle of regional equilibrium, transfer of teachers and appointed personnel from French Schools and faculties to Anglophone zones, that the technical education in the Anglophone sub-system of education be taken to the level of the Francophone sub-system, Transfer of Anglophone graduates from ENSET Bambili and Kumba from Schools of the French sub-system of education, the fact that Francophone students teachers of ENS and ENSET Bamenda and ENSET Kumba do their practical in schools of the Anglophone sub-system of education etc.