Abstract:
Cameroon is party to all international and regional instruments providing
for the right to education, and compulsory and free primary education in
particular. The article examines Cameroon’s compliance with the right to
free education, based on the normative content of the right to education,
defined by the United Nations Committee on Economic Social and Cultural
Rights as compulsory and free universal access to primary education that
is available, accessible, acceptable and appropriately adapted (known
as the ‘4 A’s’). The article reviews to what extent primary education is
compulsory and free to all children in Cameroon; it focuses on the 4 A’s
framework and assesses the justiciability of the right. The article concludes
that, although primary education is compulsory in the country, it is not
yet available, accessible and adaptable, but is largely acceptable when it
is available. Furthermore, the justiciability of the right to primary education
is hindered by constitutional practices such as the lack of standing in
court for private individuals, the lack of constitutional remedies in case of
a violation of rights, and weak separation of powers, characterised by the
pre-eminence of the executive.
