Rebuilt with Everyone in Mind: CBC Primary School Nkwen Championing Inclusive Education

Rebuilt through the PPRD-NW/SW implemented by UNDP Cameroon, CBC Primary School Nkwen has transformed from a burnt and deteriorated campus into an inclusive and accessible learning environment, restoring hope and quality education for over 320 pupils, including children with disabilities.

May 5, 2026

Child in pink sits in a wheelchair in a sunlit corridor with orange railings. — A learner using a wheelchair is assisted by a classmate along one of the school’s accessible pathways.

UNDP Cameroon

A pupil using a wheelchair slowly makes his way up the gently sloped ramp at CBC School Complex Nkwen, happily pushed by his friend and classmate. They move, exchanging few quiet words and laughter as they go. Around them, the school is alive again. Ramps connect key buildings, wide doorways allow easy access into classrooms, and smooth pathways link different parts of the campus to support easy movement for all learners.

“It was not always like this. For some time, this place was no longer a school,” the Educational Secretary of the Cameroon Baptist Convention, Dr. Napthalin Achubang Atanga recalls. “Even before the fire, the conditions were very poor. Afterward, it became completely unconducive. There was no proper environment for teaching or learning. For many children, especially those with disabilities, the future seemed uncertain.”

Photograph of a student with a blurred face at a desk in a classroom, abacus posters on wall. — A pupil uses Braille learning materials during class at CBC Primary School Nkwen, highlighting the school’s commitment to inclusive education. Inclusive learning in action as a child reads using Braille in a rehabilitated classroom at CBC Primary School Nkwen.

The CBC Primary School, Nkwen, had for years struggled with poor infrastructure. Roofs leaked, doors and windows were broken, and classrooms were uncomfortable for learning. Pupils tried to study in conditions that made school difficult. Then the school was burnt, destroying what remained and leaving it in ruins, with children suddenly without a place to learn.

Through the Presidential Plan for Reconstruction and Development (PPRD) of the North-West and South-West regions, implemented by UNDP Cameroon, the school was rebuilt with a clear vision. Not just to restore buildings, but to create a space where every child can learn comfortably. A key classroom block was rehabilitated and expanded. Today, it includes six classrooms on the ground floor and four upstairs, along with a library, offices, a store, and proper sanitation facilities. The structure was reconstructed better, roofed, painted, electrified, and equipped, turning it into a clean and functional learning space.

Aerial view of a teal-roofed school building with a dirt yard and people outside. — Inclusive infrastructure at CBC Primary School Nkwen is helping children with disabilities learn in a safer and more supportive environment.

UNDP Cameroon

The Head Teacher of the School, Mrs. Delphine Ghebeh Njoya sees the difference clearly: “Today, the environment is very conducive for learning. We have seen an increase in the number of pupils coming back to school. We currently have an enrolment of 321 pupils from about 170. Parents now feel confident sending their children here, including those with special needs.”

But what truly defines the school today is how it welcomes every child. CBC Primary School Nkwen is not only an inclusive school, it also partly hosts a resource Centre with a pre-school for children with disabilities. Beyond regular learning, it provides support and an enabling environment for children with different impairments, preparing them for integration into inclusive schools. The school also serves as a Centre for the First School Leaving Certificate and Common Entrance examinations, including for pupils with disabilities, giving them the opportunity to sit for these key exams in a supportive and accessible environment.

Access to quality education is becoming a reality for visually impaired learners at CBC Primary School Nkwen.

UNDP Cameroon

The school harbors children with all kinds of impairments. Learners using wheelchairs, those with visual or hearing challenges, and those needing extra support all study together in the same classrooms. Ramps improve movement across the campus, and classrooms are designed so every child can take part. That renewed confidence is felt across the community. Parents who were once worried about their children’s education now see progress. Teachers who once struggled with poor conditions now work in a space that supports them.

“Rebuilding CBC Primary School Nkwen was not just about fixing classrooms, but about making sure every child can come to school with dignity and learn without barriers. Today, it shows what inclusive education really looks like, where no child is left behind,” Mary Nyuyinui, Coordinator, UNDP Recovery Programme, NW Region, Cameroon “Across the region, under the PPRD, similar inclusive infrastructure is being developed in schools, health centers, and other community facilities to make services safer and more accessible for all.”