Towards Inclusive Education Reconciling Household Obligatory Financing and the Problem of Access to Secondary Education in Cameroon

Current international trends in education provision are tilted towards inclusive practices that place learners at the center of education by valuing their diverse needs, creating a sense of belonging and learning conditions that fosters the success of all. In Cameroon like other SSA countries, a large number of adolescents of secondary school age continue to remain unaccounted for by the educational system due to multifaceted reasons, but largely as a result of systems barriers related to the cost of education and the failure to address the inherent or innate disadvantages and disparities amongst individuals. Very often, policies on compulsory financing are based on grounds that it will augment the stock of educational financing and help close funding gaps. This paper places four key questions at the center of its discussion questions which require consideration by the government and policy makers Does the current obligatory financing policies and practices truly constitute an effective means to close the resource gaps that characterizes educational systems Are there potentials, including under effective governance and management of resources for developing countries secondary education systems to effectively accommodate the educational needs of all without relying on second stream funding to achieve this end Should the perpetual exclusion resulting from the inability of some individuals to meet the full cost of schooling be overlooked by the state although having a moral duty to fairly distribute existing opportunities or give a chance to all Does the socioeconomic context of household obligatory financing and the greater need for secondary education to equip large numbers of youths with the skills required to accelerate economic growth towards emergence, in congruence with many developing countries goals, not necessitate an urgent need to revisit and review the current policies Whatever the case may be, it is imperative that no one is excluded from benefiting from educational services of quality. The paper highlights the experiences and good practices in other developing countries, with significant schooling outcomes. A new policy approach to the financing of an inclusive secondary education project that values the needs of all is suggested in the recommendations. Prosper Mbelle Mekolle "Towards Inclusive Education: Reconciling Household Obligatory Financing and the Problem of Access to Secondary Education in Cameroon" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-3 | Issue-3 , April 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd23521.pd