Suspicious students question President’s bonus
A proposal by President Paul Biya to award nearly three billion FCFA (US$6.4 million) as ‘bonuses for excellence’ to the best students of Cameroon’s seven state universities has divided students and academics and provoked accusations of corruption against university managements, according to a series of reports published in Le Messager of Douala.
Meanwhile, says the newspaper, problems such as lack of space to accommodate growing numbers of students continue to afflict the institutions.
Biya announced the bonus scheme “to improve the quality of human capital and most effectively meet the challenges of the future” during his traditional new year’s address. But, observed Le Messager, while “for the flatterers, mandarins and other accomplices of the party-state, this gesture… deserves to be greeted wholeheartedly”, the paper said that three weeks later the announcement still seemed to be dividing the student community, with many considering the decision wrongly targeted given the difficulties faced in the state universities.
One pressing problem was overcrowding, as more and more students enrolled each year. According to standards recommended by Unesco, two places for every two or three students should be provided but this was far from the case in several of Cameroon’s state universities said Le Messager.
It quoted a report from the French embassy that there were some 150,000 students for about 48,000 places and 2,200 lecturers in the seven universities. This was equivalent to a ratio of one teacher for 63 students compared with one for 36 students in 2003-04.
Officials at the University of Douala told Le Messager it was not far off the Unesco standards, with 45,000 students currently enrolled for 15,000 places. There were also ambitious plans under way to increase capacity to meet the standards.
But dissenting university sources told the paper the director’s projects were swallowing huge sums of money. The sources implied these were an obvious attempt to distract attention from a “fiddling of funds”.
Other “management errors” made at state universities, said Le Messager, included “false and fanciful expenditure”. A staff member at Douala University pointed to new cars for the directors of central services who already had two cars.
“They shut themselves away in meetings once or twice a week to work out ways of extracting some money from the coffers,” the staff member said.
Support staff who were supposed to be paid in cash reported non-receipt of wages because those responsible for paying them used the money for “speculation and to practise usury with it”.
The university personnel concerned denied the accusations to Le Messager.
University staff were not alone in describing corrupt practices. A delivery man who supplied produce to the university restaurant said he had “several million” owed to him and all attempts to get paid had failed.
“I thought I was the only one but many other suppliers have also complained. To get paid quickly you have to belong to their network… Where does the money go that the students contribute? Where do the state subsidies go?” Le Messager reported him saying.
Staff told the paper the excellence bonuses proposed by the President would serve no purpose if the system of financial management was not cleaned up. They said the 3 billion FCFA would end up in the pockets of the university directors or their protégés.
Le Messager also reported mixed reactions among students to the President’s scheme.
Two students at Douala University gave opposing views. André, in favour, said the proposal was a “mark of esteem for Cameroonian students, and especially for the most deserving… It’s to encourage those who are dragging their feet by urging them to work harder”.
But Henri dismissed the bonus as a bluff. “To change things, they should restore the grants as they were before, even if they have to be reduced from 50,000 to 5,000 FCFA, that would at least show the political will of the public authorities to change things,” Henri said.
“Solutions have to be found to students’ problems, or university fees must be abolished. What the Head of State has done proves yet again that there is lots of money in the coffers that serves no purpose,” he told Le Messager.
Teaching staff were also divided. One anonymous senior employee said that 45% of the student population came from poor families. “If the President has just given 10,000 or 15,000 FCFA to each deserving student, that’s a good thing. We must welcome this will of the First Cameroonian to make our universities places of excellence.”
But another staff member had a different view: “The state has deceived the young people of this country. Three billion, that’s nothing. The state could bestow 10 times more. We must at all costs restore grants. That’s what the Cameroonian students want.
“These three billion are not a solution for students’ problems. The amount is totally insignificant for resolving our universities’ problems. We mustn’t hide the fact that President Paul Biya is in practice campaigning for the next presidential election.”
The association for the defence of the rights of Cameroon students, Addec, declared itself against the President’s decision, reported Le Messager.
On 15 January a mass of students and some teachers crowded into a lecture hall at the University of Yaoundé, with placards proclaiming: “Yes to abolition of university fees!”, “Yes to restoration of grants!”, and “Let the three billion be properly distributed!”. Addec members wore their characteristic yellow robes, reported the paper.
It quoted Addec Vice-president André Benang as saying: “The bonus is great but it is not certain that in the conditions in which we are living – fraud, corruption, falsification of reports – it would be easy to recognise who really are the best students in Cameroon’s universities…
“In overcrowded lecture halls without any sound system students try to gather knowledge in second-rate conditions to gain diplomas to maintain the illusion of intellectual success.”
Many students believed that rather than improving living conditions for students, the bonus would serve to reward ‘friends of the system’, said Le Messager. Some thought the government was looking for students to recruit for the forthcoming presidential elections.
Le Messager reported students saying they had more need of new buildings “because we are stuffed into our overcrowded lecture halls. And we desperately need laboratories and good teachers”.
From the bottom of my heart I still believe that that this decision is one of the most displaced and stupid of Mister Biya. What about employment of graduates? what about job promotion? What about easy housing for students? better lab? etc. This man is just too stupid and makes decisions only for the show!
I canot believe this President, i would think a sound minded person would put that money towards the improvement of infracstructure in these universities. We can all see, he is trying to buy the upcoming elections. I really do not see how helpful giving this money to students would be. Besides half of the student body buys the exams anyway. Very STUPID DECISION.
The corruption in universities, reported in this article, is outrageous. How can universities bring up students to be good citizens when they are run by corrupt officials. This situation really typifies what Paul Biya’s legacy in Cameroon really is. As a President, you promote a culture of corruption everywhere and then you feed the system with even more money so that the corrupt officials can continue stealing!
These universities are corrupt because they are not being monitored. I wonder what the Minister of Higher Education’s job is if he cannot set up an effective monitoring and punishment system to intimidate these university officials from practising their act.
The idea is Fundamentally good, but realistically STUPID, based on the present state of the students, the institutions and the graduates, it as stupid like the war in Iraq. However Good Campaign strategy. Well done paul!
President Biya is the best. As long as he continues to support eduction is a step forward he wants Cameroon to grow. If this money is provided and people go abroad and study and they dont want to come back. he invested it on coward and not that he is a coward. Long live Cameroon.
You are a fool. Are you a student or an asylum seeker? the later is true.
Mopao, Im a student and I believe in Hard work. dont work hard and say Biya, sleep and say corruption. ” ONe man with courage is a majoririty” Thomas Jefferson. Biya is a man with courage. if you think you can make a change , run for 2011 elections.
are you beti?
what about the more than 200 students who are now stranded in China without anymore funding coming? I still think he is a coward who is thinking Cameroonians are cowards.
Wonders shall never end in Cameroon. What did I just read: that the money was intended to “improve the quality of human capital and…. meet the challenges of the future”. How can that be achieved when what goes for universities in Cameroon don’t even have libraries; the few that exist are stocked with out of date books. Students write papers and quote books published in the 1960s. Lecturers are not even computer literate. In this age of rapid technological advancement university students, if they do, have very limited access to computers- do not even mention secondary and high schools. What Biya has done is a classic example of misallocation of resources, a fundamental reason for our underdevelopment.
Biya is completely out of his tiny little mind!
I questioned his democratic credencials. I then questioned his humanity; Now I question his sanity. His actions conclusively prove that this man is NOT FIT TO GOVERN! He is a demogogue and a complete waste of space.What is he waiting for? Bi Mvondo…STEP DOWN!
Hasn’t he governed Cameroon for a staggering three decades or so?
Mr. Biya makes me want to cry with this Insane proposal he is trying to promulgate. The truth is, Cameroon’s higher education is crumbling……actually i will say nothing…i am too angry to write anything constructive.
Maybe,but it does not make it right. I remember a conversation I had with my father when he became president. My father started rejoicing as the Butcher of Garoua had finally stepped down. I asked him what it was what was so different between the two? I was told that he was an ex seminarian, a highly educated man, and somone who would care for us Anglophones.It turns out that I was right. The man is an even greater dissaster. He leads a party with no Ideology, his policies have mostly been abject failures,his parlimentarians have no teeth and accept his dissaterous policies with no scrutiny.On top of all this, he is tribalist number 1. After 27 years how can there be no one in the CPDM who can chalenge him? Is there not 1 singleperson who can chalenge this septugenarian nutter? He is mad and must be made to step down…NOW!
Honestly I think Biya is telling us he’s too old to govern. It’s a good think that grduates meets world standards, however this is not only by passing your exams. Wee need good Labs, Motivated lectures, and recommended conditions for standard learning. This money should be used to improve the infrastructure and learning condition of the students.
Biya was educated for free by our lovely nation if he has love for youth in this country let him abolish the 50.000fcfa tuition fees.
His decision is hypocritical and political oriented, Common youth stand up and fight for your right, use this opportunity to express your frustration to the dictatorial government
Wufrank you are as stupid as Biya that’s why you are not even able to spell education properly.
If this Biya man wants to motivate univrrsity students let him bring back “boose”.
I worked hard to go to Ngoa ekele cos’ I wanted some “boose” dough.It’s very encouraging not this his corrupt money he is throwing out there for his friends.
Casara look at the way you spell university. Don’t take dust from someone’s eye when you have a stone in yours.
This president is suffering from senile decay!
There is an impending danger and doom in the air. What I see here is the president mixing education with his political and selfish ambitions. I`d say there s nothing wrong with grants, as that goes a good way to recognize outstanding and deserving students. But, his timing is completely suspicious and fraud of poisonous consequences. It is simple to point at evidence, in China, Cameroonian students on scholarships, have not been receiving a dime from the government for nearly three years. They were chosen as outstanding, some how, especially in bio and social sciences. The government officials including the speaker of the national assembly, ministers of higher eduction and foreign affairs have completely neglected even a possibility of solving such minor problems, we are talking about less than 200 students. Now he wants to start new grant schemes? Where has he ended with the ones that were initiated some 20, 15,10,5,3, years ago? And you call this encouraging and promoting academic excellence? And it is only one example. At least it needs a different name, may be Biyaexcellencestyle. So, those students, good thing is, most came from rich families and of course were chosen by godfathers, so, not to worry. But the poor ones, hmm, desperate, very hungry and angry. But, don`t forget, it is promoting excellence.
A look at the university infrastructure in Cameroon shatters your feelings. The fact that students are made to pay fees as much as 50000frs cfa, when the government has the means to subsidize the small Cameroonian student population we have. It is sycophantic that campus resources are almost non existent in the state university centers. Now, it would be interesting to understand exactly the standards that the government will use to determine who is an outstanding student. I am sure every one knows that this is a mechanism Biya is putting in place to wilt support from the many outraged youths in the country. How much money are lecturers owed in Buea and all other universities? Think of suppliers, temporary staff members and others. Biya is an evasive crap weasel. The real problems for students are related to lodging where hostels drain every income from most families and yet they still pay fees. Get cheaper hostels for students, provide them with subsidized shopping centers, give them regular electricity on campus and in their hostels. Facilitate their movement, roads, buses and so on. You think about helping students and promoting excellence by a 3 billion grant? I am sure he is now making a movie. How many very clever, intelligent students are stuck with their poor parents because they are not able to afford the alarming cost of rents, transport, feeding and fees? I`m thinking there are committees that could spearhead campaigns for university excellence in the country. Excellence can not be achieved dishing 3 billion to rectors and their cronies. It is just a shame to even include this nonsense in a speech. Cameroonian students know what they want, I am sure only selfish individuals who have traded their hearts to the regime will want to stand by a stinking vomit like this. This is another example of how the government is encouraging and promoting corruption. Those higher ups…they keep getting such opportunities while the middle and lowers classes keep drowning in their misery and despair. Biya lacks the ideas, the team, the knowledge, and above all the WILL to do any thing that can better the lives of citizens. But as it is, nothing lasts for ever. One could cover the next 200 pages, but, I am sure if we can not do anything to change this, I am hopeful that the plans God has for Cameroon will not fail.
i always say that until the day that all those cameroonians or africans above the age of 50 will leave power ,there will be no meaningful development in our country.i m just sad to be an african becos of our leaders.it is not hidden, everyone in cameroon knows the deplorable situation in our schools.infrastructures r more or like pig farms,oh god help us,for more than 25 years i have known only pains and sufferings,biya and the old generation pls leave cameroonians,we r tired…..
Paul Biya is merely trying to build his political carrier for nest 2011 election.in other to win the mind of the students who will vote him.he should open up more schools and health institutions rather than wasting huge sum to award to best students who will never gain jobs in future.his adviser are failing so lack words to say in the new year speech.but he must step down come 2011.
This is another clear cut example to proof that Mr Biya and his advisers are out of touch to the problems of the common man. A good political slogan will be, set up new universities atleast one in every province to curb the problem of conjection, improve the existing fascilities like labs, libraries and so on. Improve the teaching staff quality, open enough Research Institutes, give this institutions some authonomy and the result will be an improved quality in higher education.
Mr Biya you can not build a house by starting from the roof, a solid foundation will always provide stability in times of storm.
Dee, you’ve said it all. Visit state owned primary schools in China and you will be amazed how well equipped they are. I’ve been teaching here for five years now. Each time a student finds out if we have projectors in our schools in Cameroon, I will accept with all the guilt that goes with it. It’s so shameful and I guess the government of Cameroon is better placed to give in all it takes for our country to match our education with those of some of these developing countries like Korea and China.
Money and gifts blind the eyes. It makes people not to think wisely. Fellow young Cameroonians learn to be wised. Mr. Paul Biya, the decision you’ve taken is not wise ought to help Cameroonians in future. Cameroonians are expecting you to improve on the rate of unemployment in the country. So then, love justice, and set your minds sincerely on the Lord, and look for him with all honesty. Any leader who does not try to test the Lord will find him; he will show himself to those who trust him. Dishonest thoughts separate leaders from God, and if any leader is foolish enough to test him, his power will put him to shame.
I beleive that, God’s time has come to start acting for this nation. The Lord of all is not afraid of anyone, no matter how great they are. He himself made everyone, great and common alike, and he provides for all equally, but he will judge the conduct of rulers more strictly.
It’s time for all Cameroonians to wake-up and start praying and you’ll receive good news in the 2011 presidential election. Pray and fast. A wise ruler will educate his people, and his government will be orderly. And all the officials and all the citizens will be like their ruler. A government will grow strong if its rulers are wise. The Lord sees to the government of the world and brings the right person to power at the right time. The success of that person is in the Lord’s hands. The Lord is the source of the honor given to any official.
Fellow Cameroonians, may the Lord wipe your tears.
Biya just pulled a little bit from his vacation money in the attemt to buy students vote for the 2011 election.
Cameroon is a ship without a competent captain and we are heading to nowhere
fundamentally it’s a good idea but realistically i think i will be stupid, because corruption will play it’s role.
Wufrank from Oklahoma, United States says:
February 1, 2010 at 19:21
Casara look at the way you spell university. Don’t take dust from someone’s eye when you have a stone in yours.
Wufrank, the good thing is, i am not as stupid as you and Biya.