312- During the period 2013-2017, the secondary school map was extended from 3,353 schools in 2012/2013 academic year to 3,987 schools in the 2015/2016 academic year, including 2,685 public schools and 1,302 private schools. In 2017, new public schools were not opened in a bid to further rationalise the extension of the school map. The evolution of the school map according to the different types of schools and Regions is shown in the table in the APPENDIX 10. 2: Increase in the Number of Qualified Teachers and Rational Management of Human Resources 313- Batches of teachers trained in the different teacher training colleges of the country were integrated into the corps of secondary school teachers the number of which increased from 67,826 including 41,308 men and 26,518 women in the 2014/2015 academic year to 73,144 including 44,335 men and 28,809 women in the 2015/2016 academic year, to 81,825 in 2016/2017 academic year, and to 84,556 including 50,602 men and 33,954 women in the 2017/2018 academic year. 314- New teacher training colleges were opened198 to address the shortage in staff. 315- With regard to continuous training, capacity development activities were organised for teachers, pedagogic facilitators and Regional coordinating Inspectors. 316- In a bid to guarantee the right to education in rural areas, the Ministry of Secondary Education (MINESEC) undertook to rationalise the postings and transfers of teachers. In 2017, the decongestion policy of major urban centres enabled the transfer of 3,706 teachers, two-thirds of who were transferred to rural areas. The same obtained for graduates from the Higher Teacher Training Colleges, 70% of who were posted mostly to schools in the hinterland. 317- In a bid to maintain teachers in their corps considering the high drift of teachers into other sectors, the Prime Minister undertook to rationalise professional migration by subjecting same to the approval of the user Minister. The rapid and effective financial absorption of new graduates from higher teacher training colleges is a challenge that has sometimes resulted in dissatisfaction and to which the State is providing efficient solutions which, in addition to other incentives199, will help maintain teachers in their work station. One of the measures referred to above was the signing by the Prime Minister of Decree No. 2014/3/PM of 16 January 2014 to lay down the terms and conditions of granting Academic Achievements Awards. is Under the Law MINESEC Chairs the National Academic Achievements Awards Board and Order No. 69/CAB/PM of 6 August 2015 lays down the characterisitics of awards. Since 2015, during celebrations to mark the World Teachers’ Day on 5 October, teachers were raised to Knight of Academic Achievements nationwide since all the education orders were concerned. Table 5: Number of teachers awarded the medal of Knight of Academic Achievements 2015 2016 2017 2018 Year TOTAL 1,217 1,164 883 964 Number of recipients 4,228 318- In addition, within the framework of the MINESEC Award of Excellence instituted by Decision No. 188/17/D/MINESEC/IGE of 25 April 2017, 108 teachers received the Award during the first edition held in October 2017 while 99 others received same during the second edition held in September 2018. 198 199 ENSET Ebolowa, ENS Bertoua, ENSET Kumba. Institution of Academic Achievements since 2015 58