Teachers in Cameroon will join their colleagues across the globe this Sunday, October 5, 2025, to celebrate International Teachers’ Day. This year’s commemoration carries extra significance, coming just a week before the country’s presidential election scheduled for October 12.
In Douala, preparations are already in high gear. At Vishi Prestigious Nursery and Primary School in Bonaberi, located beside Nestlé, staff and pupils are setting the stage for a lively two-day program.
Speaking to our reporter, the head teacher, Mr. Fonji Sebastian Forlogwe, explained that activities will begin on Saturday with a football gala, bringing together both male and female staff in a spirit of unity and celebration. “We grace the occasion in a heretic manner. From 10 a.m., we’ll have the sports events, exercise ourselves, and prepare for the big day on the 5th of October,” he said.
On Sunday, the official celebration will kick off with a march past, presided over by the Inspector of Basic Education for Douala IV Subdivision. Teachers will then return to their school campuses for relaxation and social activities to mark their special day.
Beyond the festivities, however, teachers are also using the platform to highlight their concerns and expectations from the country’s political leadership. With the presidential election only days away, Mr. Forlogwe voiced a collective plea on behalf of educators.
“All of us are going to vote. Teachers are going to vote. I am pleading that whosoever is going to take over the government, be it our present president or another, should look at the plight of teachers,” he said.
He emphasized that teachers remain the backbone of national development. “Teachers are the nation-builders, the people who hold the minds of the youths of tomorrow. If you don’t build up the mindset of the child, when he or she grows up, the country is in chaos,” he noted.
Mr. Forlogwe urged the incoming leadership to prioritize policies that recognize the contributions of teachers, improve their welfare, and strengthen education in Cameroon.
The international theme for World Teachers’ Day 2025, which applies to countries like Cameroon, is “Recasting teaching as a collaborative profession”. This theme focuses on the importance of teamwork, shared experiences, and collective strength among teachers and educational systems to transform the teaching profession and improve educational outcomes.
As Cameroon prepares for a week of both celebration and decision-making at the polls, the voices of teachers like Mr. Forlogwe underline the vital role educators play in shaping the country’s future—and their hope that the nation’s leaders will, in turn, shape policies that support them.
