Topic: Access to Education for Girls
Country: Cameroon
Delegate Name: Casey Belcher
School: Ann Arbor Community High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Cameroon position papers GLIMUN 2012 committees
In Cameroon there are far fewer girls enrolled in the education system than there are boys. Girls who are enrolled often do not complete school or move on to higher education. Girls are forced to leave school early because parents are not able to pay for the cost of school uniforms and books for their children. Girls are the first ones to be taken out of school before boys; they are expected to carry out household duties or they are forced to marry early.
Cameroon would like for education to be more available to girls. In 2011 Cameroon launched a program called “My Education, My Future”. This is a partnership between Cameroon, the United States Government and the United Nations in order to help more girls be able to complete school. Cameroon is continuing to work to make education for girls more accessible and to make it so girls will be able to continue in their education.
More children, including girls, are able to enroll and complete school thanks to this program. Teachers in the school are better trained and equipped with skill to help students. Schools have more supplies so that students will not have to pay for them. Since 2004 there has been over 7,000 scholarships to help parents pay to keep their children is school. Although Cameroon has made improvements in education Cameroon still have a long to go before education is available for everyone. There are still families who cannot afford to keep their children in school.
