Integrating History: Call to Add French Atrocities in Cameroon to School Curriculum

Following France’s admission of its violent role in Cameroon, a key demand has emerged: to integrate this dark chapter of history into the French school curriculum. Activists argue that public outreach and education are crucial to ensure such events are never repeated and that the French public can fully accept their nation’s past.
The call for educational reform comes after President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged France’s responsibility for a brutal war against Cameroonian independence movements. In a letter to President Paul Biya, Macron confirmed the findings of a joint commission that documented decades of French-led repression, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths.
For years, the violence in Cameroon was omitted from official French historical narratives, which often presented a sanitized view of colonialism. Cameroonian singer Blick Bassy, a co-head of the commission, emphasized that “public outreach is crucial” on the French side. He believes this is essential for the French population to “truly understand and accept the country’s history.”
While the acknowledgment itself is a breakthrough, the lack of an apology or reparations highlights the long road ahead. The push for educational reform is seen as a vital step toward genuine reconciliation, moving beyond a single political gesture to create lasting understanding and accountability for future generations.