Empowered by a new circular from the Ministry of Territorial Administration (MINAT) that authorizes direct field enforcement alongside administrative authorities, the Union of Founders of Private Secular and Denominational Educational Institutions in Cameroon (SYNFEPLC) is launching an aggressive campaign to clean up the country’s private education sector. Alongside these enforcement measures, the union has announced the creation of its own cooperative, marking a decisive and proactive start to its operational year. Gathering for a major relaunch assembly on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, in Bonabéri, Douala, founders of private educational institutions and vocational training centers from across Cameroon made it clear that the organization is back in full force. “The objective of the meeting was simple: to relaunch our annual activities and set a clear direction for the sector,” stated Jean Nyamsi, National President of SYNFEPLC. At the center of the assembly’s discussions was a crucial administrative breakthrough: the MINAT circular letter empowering union leaders on the ground. “The Ministry of Territorial Administration has now authorized us to take direct action in closing down clandestine institutions,” the SYNFEPLC President Jean Nyamsi noted with satisfaction. “In other words, the Ministry has empowered us to effectively combat illegal operations, with the explicit guarantee that local administrative authorities will support our efforts.” To remove all ambiguity, SYNFEPLC outlined two primary categories that define a clandestine school: Institutions operating without official authorization from the competent ministry. Operators who hold ministerial authorization but lack compliant infrastructure, choosing instead to run schools out of residential homes, rented villas, or other unsuitable premises. To execute this mandate, SYNFEPLC is deploying a comprehensive nationwide monitoring network. Local branches are being established across every region to act as field scouts. Their primary task will be identifying illegal institutions and coordinating directly with local administrative authorities to enforce immediate closures. In addition to regulatory enforcement, SYNFEPLC announced the official launch of the SYNFEPLC Cooperative an economic initiative designed to strengthen the financial resilience of school proprietors. “This cooperative will enable school founders to effectively address their operational challenges, helping them prepare for the end of the academic year and ensuring that teachers receive consistent, well-structured support,” explained the president. The assembly also celebrated significant progress regarding fiscal policy and tax administration for private educational institutions. Through direct engagement with tax authorities, SYNFEPLC secured simplified compliance processes designed to reduce fiscal pressure on school management. Under the new agreement, private institutions are now relieved of several complex fiscal burdens, reducing their primary tax obligation to the standard declaration of employee salaries. Furthermore, following high-level talks between the SYNFEPLC National President and the Director General of Taxes, private schools have been officially reclassified from the specialized Centre des Impôts des Moyennes Entreprises(CIME) and reassigned to local Divisional Tax Centers. This shift streamlines tax administration and aligns fiscal procedures with the actual operational scale of private education enterprises. The value of SYNFEPLC in supporting school founders was underscored by Ms. Afanji Truth, founder of the Truth Balingbandeji Amkongmawa School. Having discovered the organization three months ago, she revealed that she has already referred two other school promoters to the national president for intervention. According to her account, the two institutions were facing premature closure despite not being on the official ministry list of targeted illegal schools. Following her referral, a delegation was dispatched to evaluate the establishments and provide assistance. Ms. Truth emphasized that bringing founders together within a recognized professional organization makes it far easier to raise awareness about common challenges and pursue collective solutions. She urged her peers across the country to connect with SYNFEPLC so they too can benefit from its framework for consultation, legal defense, and mutual support.
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