Education is free in state schools and compulsory between ages 6 and 12. Government funds are available to mission and private schools. Most secondary schools have been made bilingual, with instruction in both French and English. Working alongside the public schools are the missionary schools, which have been extremely important in the history of Cameroonian education. As of 1999, public expenditure on education was estimated at 2.6% of GDP.
Yaoundé (/ˌjɑːuːnˈdeɪ/ or /jaːˈʊndeɪ/, French pronunciation: [ja.un.de]; German: Jaunde) is the capital of Cameroon and, with a population of approximately 2.5 million, the second largest city in the country after the port city Douala. It lies in the centre of the nation at an elevation of about 750 metres (2,500 ft) above sea level.
Yaounde is the capital city, green and hilly, with chaotic traffic and meandering roads common to most capital cities spilling over with people.