Jacques Fame Ndongo, Cameroon’s Minister of Higher Education has announced with seeming certainty that the just created Higher Technical Teachers’ Training College (HTTTC) Kumba shall open its doors for effective business in October this year.
He gave the assurance while in Kumba, Saturday, July 5 on an on-the-spot assessment of the structures and facilities to host the college.
Fame Ndongo was accompanied to Kumba by the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Buea, Professor Maurice Tchuente.
He described HTTTC Kumba as the biggest Teachers’ Training College in the country in terms of disciplines it offers – 14 disciplines in all.
The minister hailed the administration of the University of Buea for the ground work.
Ndongo said Government Technical High School (GTHS) Kumba will serve as a temporal site for the college, while the Kumba City Council Banquet Hall will serve as the Administrative Block.
The former premises of the Meme Divisional Delegation of Transport, the minister announced, will provide offices for the staff of the college.
Over 30 officials of the college were appointed and installed recently, an act described by the Minster as a commitment by government to see the college take off by October.
He hinted that recruitment of lecturers is currently going on with the list of those retained expected in the days ahead. The Competitive Entrance into the college was launched last week, following a ministerial order.
Fame Ndongo gave assurances that only the best candidates will be booked space at the “prestigious college.”
While congratulating HTTTC Pioneer Director, Professor Joyce Endeley, for the confidence given her by the President of the Republic, Fame Ndongo urged her to put her rich professional career to work in order to make the school a place to be, just like the mother institution, the University of Buea (UB).
DR. Nalova Lyonga, Vice-Chancellor of UB pledged that they will do all that is necessary to make HTTTC Kumba a reference institution in the country.
Though funds are still to be made available, she hinted that the college already can boast of Computers, Electricity and Renewable-Energy Laboratories.
Just 500 places
Contrary to expectation that the college will from the onset absorbed over 2000 students into the 14 departments for the first and second cycles, a Ministerial circular that launched the competitive entrance examination into the college, signed on June 26, by the Minister of Higher Education, only makes available 500 openings for the start.
While the 1st cycle will admit 200 students, the second cycle will absorb 300.
Many people, especially in the Anglophone regions have been very critical of the low numbers as they compare it to that of ENS Maroua, which started with about 6000 students in 2010.
However, the Pioneer Director hinted that the number of places for now is okay because the college is just in her first year and moreover, there isn’t space for the school for now.
