Tag Archives: Literacy

Cameroon: Anglophone Education: Deplorable situation in Universities and Secondary schools

The Regime through the Ministry of Secondary Education is trying so hard to graduate and promote students with little or no knowledge of education. This situation has been termed by many “deplorable”.

Our informant had a tour in both the Buea and Bamenda campuses who quickly concluded that  the number of military men deplored on these academic institutions surpasses that of the students. In UBa he found out that students lace around without attending  classes but for few French students who could be considered attending some lectures. Those he called lacing the campus only mark their names and disappear.

The situation is similar in Buea as our reporter spoke to some students who expressed regrets and dissatisfaction. He spoke to some students and the first was a female who stated that she did not want to write any exams because she has not been studying but that his Dad insisting she wrote. She went further to say, “I don’t know a thing, i have forgotten everything even my matriculation number”, Rose Mary said. Another student contributed; “I don’t feel like preparing for it.I don’t have notes, I will just go write my name and leave the hall. I didn’t write any CAs”, Pamela added.

When asked on the preparedness of other students and  attendance in the campus, Rose Mary said, “The exams are just a waste of time, students don’t know what they  are writing,it’s like a joke,no one is taking it serious”. She went ahead to refer the situation of attendance as “pathetic”, stating that “Many students are in Molyko but no one is daring to go school”.

The informant proceeded to ask why the Vice Chancellor Nalova Lyonga will express satisfaction with attendance yet she called it pathetic and deplorable. “The worst is that students writing don’t know what they doing, everyone is complaining, they just mark their names and leave the halls, even lecturers are advising students not to write because it is like offering them worthless results”, Pamela added.

Rose Mary went ahead to say she watched on TV that there was a march against ghost and when the correspondent confirmed the images on CRTV, Rose Mary smiled and commented in a light manner; “Don’t tell me u still following crtv…I saw in the news two weeks ago that there was a peaceful walk here against ghost town but after that the ghost town is effective”

“The vice chancellor is doing everything possible to bring back students, now she’s begging us who have not been attending classes to come write exams  I don’t have my time table yet. but i know that i am writing a paper tomorrow”.

Earlier this afternoon, our informant spoke to another student on the experience at the campus today and he said; “It was not an easy experience, today was my first paper, the security was tight and i felt tense. While in class Professional photographers come in from all directions taking pictures as we write…I just wonder what took me to school and i can assure you it was my last time with such an experience.” Jonas said. He went ahead to state if not of the military men, the campus was as a deserted as a ghost.

When one paints a picture of what these students narrate and represent, one questions the type of results students expect. How can the Vice Chancellor force students to take a first semester exam at the end of the year? Of what worth shall the results reflect without knowledge?

The case is same of the Minister’s tour to insist that public exams like the GCE should take place when schools have been closed for close to 7 months. CRTV reports that 54,000 students are to partake in public exams alone from the NWR starting from the 15th of May. No private school has been opened for 7 Months and the few Government schools that were opened did not have classes, yet the GCE board insists on organizing exams for the 2017 year. How do they come up with such statistics? Ghost students?

Are these moves aimed at proving a point or fighting not to lose a school year? What will it benefit an exam without students that can stand to defend their certificates? A Blank school year would be better than a worthless certificate.

There is therefore no doubt that the situation is deplorable from the experience expressed by the students, from the fact that even the Archbishop of Douala on his Mission admitted that schools have been grounded, and most especially that students shall be writing in a militarized mode. This, and more is unheard of in any modern society. The regime should swallow its pride, admit its weaknesses to handle the situation, and seek for fresh dialogue and solution, which is granting the demands of the Anglophones that are legitimate.

Shey Tatah Sevidzem

 

Marius Youbi returns to Denmark today

Marius Youbi, an international student at Aarhus University who was asked to leave Denmark a month ago arrives Denmark again today this time on a working permit.

marius_youbi

Marius was sent out of Denmark on the 7th of January for working too much as a student. Baptized “Super student” from Cameroon, Marius intelligence and excellence in studies forced the media and sympathizers to fight for his cause. The Slogan has been;”Sending away Gold and welcoming criminality”.

Marius received a lot of support both from Denmark and without as an electrical engineering student and this has landed him a job as an engineer, reason for which he has been given a chance to come back. The Danish Media today shall focus solely on his case as broadcast over the TV. He has suddenly become not only a super student but a super star. Note that he is 30 years old.

This is just one of the many stories we have, but also should serve as a lesson to many.

We wish and hope Him well.

Cameroon student Sent out of Denmark for working a lot

This may sound like a fairy tale to some of us especially those who have never traveled out of their respective countries to face the realities on the ground. Majority of such always think that things are done the same way as in their own countries. A real but pathetic story, one that can pose a million dollar question. This “Super student” as is being referred to in Denmark was supposed to work 20 hours a week but worked 21.5 hrs. An extra 1.5hr . He has been punished for that.

Marius You

Marius Nteguem Youbi that you see on the image above is a Cameroonian that came to Denmark to further his studies. In the course of his studies, Marius came face to face with the realities and the challenges of being a foreign student, paying fees, house rents, other bills etc in one of the world’s most expensive country Denmark. Marius being a smart, Intelligent and hard working guy decided to look for a job to handle and face these challenges.

Denmark until the last 2 years used to give foreign students the opportunity to work for 15hours per week to assist them in their stay and studies but raised to 20 hours recently. These hours for a student from a poor background can only permit a him or her afford a little room in the student hostel while feeding, fees, and other responsibilities are at the mercy of God.

marius Youbi

Marius picked a job to sustain his stay without being dependent on the Danish Government which according to some was 21.5Hours a week, little did he know that this was a trap set for him. Marius had actually “broken” the Danish law for working One and a half (I.5hr) hour illegally. For this reason and no other, Marius was asked to leave Denmark despite all odds.

Marius until today was a student of Aarhus University (Aarhus is the second city in Denmark) studying in a town called Herning. Despite the job Marius kept, he never was affected by his studies in any form. He was and remained the first in his class even during the crisis. He hailed the Flag of Cameroon very high as one of the greatest countries in Human resources.

When His school learnt of the decision by the Danish Immigration Law, Two exams were pending at that time and they decided to Organize them for him. The Danish system of education is organized into point system (character) unlike in the UK where percentage is used. It starts from Zero to twelve (0-12) where 0 is F and 12 is A or A+. Example of their grading system is as follows

12=A, 10= B, 7=C, 4= D, 2=E, 0=F and -2=U

I am stating this not because i studied in the same system but because i want you to look at how some people do not value Gold. Marius went in for the first Exam and came out with a 12, an A+. The school could not understand this and called for the second exam, he got in again and struck another 12, Then the third exam about 2 weeks ago he was called to the semester Exams. At this time the Danish Media had become interested in the case and even waited outside to meet this genius of a Marius. When he came out of the exam room, he was surprised to see TV MidVest waiting on him. He had kept another record with the 3rd 12 (A+).

Here is  Video on one of the Danish media meeting this Great Hero from Cameroon and to tell you that he speaks danish like someone born there when he has only spent months. Some us who spent years there can not even speak a quarter of what comes out of his mouth especially with that danish accent.

Marius & Exams

Marius himself was so happy that he could not describe his success, he said he felt like a football player that had won the world cup despite all the crisis and challenges.

The school authorities after deliberations decided to hang on his case, that such a student could not be sent out without completing his studies. They contacted the Immigration office and even the Danish foreign minister to no avail.

http://www.tvmidtvest.dk/artikel/17000-underskrifter-marius-boer-blive-i-landet

Thousands (17,000) of Danes and students signed petitions against the decision but failed. Some of the comments made by some danes were even aggressive to their country as a whole but as we say, No one is above the law. This is one of the cases being proven.

Lyn

Christina Lyhne whose comment was liked by thousands of people said “Håber politikerne snart forstår alvoren i det her… Vi udelukker simpelthen den gode arbejdskraft, for at have plads til forbrydere.. Godt du holder hovedet højt!!” Paraphrasing, She hopes that politicians will understand how serious this is, how the country rejects experts and open doors to criminals.

Last Tuesday 5th Jan 2016, a demonstration was organized in Herning where more than 300 Danes came out to fight for this engineer student with the main opposition leading party leader in the town taking part and giving a talk. Our victim Marius was also available where he thanked all for their support. This was to force the Danish Government reverse the decision still to no avail. There is a link in Danish for the demonstration…

http://www.tvmidtvest.dk/artikel/marius-om-demonstration-stoetten-betyder-alt#player

This morning Marius stood at the Billund International with his sister to quit Denmark, was this for good? Marius himself promised the sister that he will be back maybe after three months as he has to apply again from start. It takes usually at least 3 months to handle a student application and it is the hope of all that Marius be given a chance to go back and complete his studies which he already paid for.

http://www.tvmidtvest.dk/artikel/nu-forlader-marius-youbi-landet

What has Marius achieved for foreign students? A lot has been achieved but if there is one thing that i have to mention it is because i feel proud as a Cameroonian and one that went through a similar situation though not sent out but left with a huge debt as i could not afford my fees and had to put my family and family into huge debts and loan that will take years to pay. There are many of us, some lucky ones like Romeo Ellad and our elder sister Birka Angeline were only fined but not sent back home. The question now is, why was he not fined? The answer again is mingling in the air. But to come back to one Great achievement Marius had brought to foreign students in Denmark is the fact that the Minister has agreed to look into the law again. This might brought some hope to millions of tuition students embarking on a similar journey.

Food for thought:

We should understand that going abroad is not a solution to our family crisis completely. One never knows the reasons why foreign students break rules, is it to survive? is it to provide for family back home? Keep and maintain friends?  The pressure we put on some of these students abroad can end up frustrating them more. We should give them the chance to study and either come back home for a job or get a job where they have studied before we expect from them.

Marius says this before leaving Denmark “I have lost all”. We all know what he meant but to me he has achieved a lot. He has also shown how strong some of us Africans are, by combining work and school to survive yet we still beat the most happy people in the world (The danes) in academics. This only exposed the ugly part of the country that is looked upon as a “Paradise”

More to follow

Shey Tatah Sevidzem (Wo Scandy)

 

 

Literacy and Numeracy in Cameroon

By Ateh Thomson Pepeah

Ateh Thomson Pepeah

Ateh Thomson Pepeah

Human Capital development has for long been a major source of factor productivity. Indeed amongst nations with limited natural resources, whose productive capacity resides on their Production possibilities curve, the option of expanding their capital bases from machine alone to building a strong knowledgeable economy has spoken in Billions of dollar proceeds. Streaming with double digit GDP growth rates, they have their prints the world over, intervening in relive programs with aid ranging from physical cash to real food supplies. Singapore, Malaysia , these few undertake rigorous courses towards pruning a knowledge based high tech economy, science driven in literacy and numeracy, exporting the same to their utter advantage,despite their geographical disadvantage– Singapore’s GDP amounted at almost 10times the Case of Cameroon in 2013. Their human capital has greatly undermines such disadvantaged positioning, the world had put them in–so much so that even highly natural resource endowed countries, lag behind this trending.

This drives me towards my darling Nation, its fertile agric land masses, forested regions with great arable lands, minerals, and other rich and highly demanded produces all found therein. In the same 47544sq KM, are 19,891,103million inhabitants of which 71.3% boast themselves as Literate– male: 78.3% female: 64.8% (2010 est.) with a Population growth rate of 2.7%. This to Singapore and other such high tech economy would represent a great menace to other countries in terms of Cameroon’s supremacy economically, politically , diplomatically and otherwise, if Cameroonians reasoned , and had such institutions they do. But why isn’t it that way?

Pupil subtracting

Pupil subtracting

A 2012 issue of Cameroon Economic Update, had attempted an explanation by insisting that a large proportion of Cameroon’s workforce is not considered to master basic skills such as literacy and numeracy when starting work. This is the case in spite of
recent increases in access to education rates , even the higher literacy rates hereabove and represents a major impediment for their insertion in the labor market and, more importantly, for their ability to absorb post-school training either on or off the job, and to adapt to changing job requirements. Definitely, a large population or a larger work force doesn’t translate directly to a productive and a flourishing economy, but the quality of the population and work force does/–Cameroon is yet to get there.

In fact, the Economic Intelligence Unite suggest in 2010 –then recorded by a BTI report in 2011, if Cameroon’s GDP growth figures only future between 2, 3.3, with average almost exacting population growth rates, it will take Cameroon a millennium–1000years, to double its GDP. Then we question, if Cameroon truly boasts of what they rely have in terms of an educated population . Definitely as In Cameroon’s , context Literacy is defined as those at age 15 and over who can read and write.

I however argue that literacy not be viewed in such simplistic terms but be quantified with an added value to the economy in question. To be literate, your worth to the community, be quantified and qualified in addition to just reading and writing. Cameroonians therefore must focus on developing their human capacity, this in line with available, local resources with which to create value out of the enormous resources they are endowed with.
God Bless Cameroon!!