As the world marks Teachers’ Day on Monday, Cameroon has reached its target of recruiting 18,000 teachers, but thousands of recruits were still awaiting integration into the state payroll, according to World Bank data from a December 2025 assessment.

The World Bank’s Education Reform Support Project report, based on a mission conducted Dec. 1-5, 2025, found that 12,116 of 16,260 teachers recruited during the first five recruitment waves , 74.51% , had received registration numbers and were receiving salaries.

That left 4,144 recruits, or about one in four, yet to reach that stage when the assessment was conducted.

The sixth recruitment wave added 3,362 nursery and primary school teachers, allowing the government-backed project to reach its initial 18,000-teacher recruitment target, the World Bank said.

The figures show a persistent challenge for recruited teachers, for whom delays in obtaining formal registration and access to state salaries can become a source of frustration after securing government appointments.

The World Bank data provides a different perspective on this year’s World Teachers’ Day, which indicates the importance of protecting the teaching profession and advancing teachers’ status.

Cameroon is also facing a looming staffing challenge. The World Bank said the government was considering recruiting another 6,000 teachers in 2026 to address a projected shortfall of 9,612 teachers expected to retire by 2030.

The data suggests Cameroon’s teacher challenge is no longer simply about recruitment, but also about ensuring recruits are promptly registered, paid and retained in the education system.