Laure Diffomene Jotsop

// DISSERTATION PROJECT

Teaching quality in conflict-affected areas of Cameroon: analysis of pedagogical approaches in primary schools

Over the last two decades, the Cameroonian education system has undergone certain changes in order to adapt to global education policies and to ensure better use of the knowledge acquired by young people in their environment. As a result, the curriculum reform initiated by the government in 2018 introduced the competency-based approach to the Cameroonian education system in order to improve the teaching quality. This recommends structuring lessons around a problem or complex task that encourages students to reflect or investigate to find solutions. The ongoing security crisis  in the North-West  South-West and Far North regions of Cameroon forced the government and other education stakeholders to set up emergency education activities in conflict zones using the same curriculum and competence-based approach. In recent years, however, the quality of learning in crisis zones has declined significantly. The Humanitarian Needs Overview (2023) highlighted the situation: "Children's learning outcomes remain low compared to the rest of the country. In 2022, only 33 per cent of those who passed the end-of-cycle exams did not demonstrate the minimum competencies in language and numeracy" (p. 42). It is therefore important to reflect on the complexities of teaching in these emergency contexts. My study explores the views of primary school teachers working in conflict-affected areas. I want to explore how primary school teachers see their own pedagogy in crisis affected areas of Cameroon and what pedagogical challenges do they face during the teaching learning-process.

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// ACADEMIC BACKGROUND 

2019-2022
Master of Arts in Educational Quality in Developing Countries, University of Bamberg/Germany

2011-2014
Bachelor Degree in Educational Sciences, Evangelical University of Cameroon

2011-2012
Diploma in Educational Sciences, Evangelical University of Cameroon

Awards / Academic Achievements and Scholarships

Since 2024
Starter Scholarship for doctoral candidates at Bamberg Graduate School of Social Sciences, Germany

2019-2022
Bread for the world scholarship for International Master Programme for Educational Quality in Developing Countries (IMPEQ) students at University of Bamberg

2011-2014
Bread for the world scholarship for students at the Faculty of Education, Evangelical University of Cameroon

2013
«Prime de l’Excellence académique» offered by the President of the Republic of Cameroon

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// CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS

Diffomene, L. (2024): Favoriser l’éducation de qualité et la justice à travers l’activation cognitive par les tâches on “Contribution to Quality Education and Justice’’by PIASS, ULPGL, UEC and University of Bamberg, 20-21 February 2024, Douala, Cameroon.

Diffomene, L. (2022): Façonner la résilience à travers l’activation cognitive par les tâches  “Resilience Through Quality Education’’by PIASS, ULPGL, UEC and University of Bamberg, 21-22 Septembre 2022, Butare, Rwanda.

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// EXPERIENCE

Current Position since 07/2023
Education Programme Development Manager, Norwegian Refugee Council, Cameroon

01/2022- 06/2023
Education Coordinator, Norwegian Refugee Council, Cameroon

08/2020- 12/2021
Education Specialist, International Rescue Committee, Cameroon

08/2016- 08/2020
Education Officer, PanAfrican Conservation Education Project, Cameroon

Teaching Experience

09/2014-08/2019
History and Geography teacher, Collège Evangélique de Nkonsamba, Cameroonian