Would be effects of harmonization of universities

Anglophone experts in the academia have pointed out what will happen when the so called harmonization of universities in the country take effect.

The harmonization programme will definitely have serious undesirable consequences on the two Anglo-Saxon universities of Buea, UB, and Bamenda, UBa, they say.

Despite the resistance from various Anglo-Saxon groups against the move, it still appears that government is bent on going ahead with it. It is said to be already concluding plans for implementation.

State broadcaster, CRTV, for instance, reported Monday, May 31, that implementation of the reforms for courses in arts and social sciences are going to take effect beginning next academic year while that for other sciences follow a year later.

However, some lecturers have described the plan as controversial. Ta-Mbi Nkongho, Political Science and International Relations lecturer at the University of Buea, says the plan by government to adopt a unique curriculum for state universities in Cameroon is not only controversial but capable of watering down the values of critical thinking being imparted students of the two Anglo-Saxon universities of Buea and Bamenda.

Nkongho had earlier echoed this remark in an English language weekly in May 2015. The assertion comes in the wake of a resolve taken over the weekend by Common Law lawyers, the Cameroon Teachers’ Trade Union, CATTU, the Buea university chapter of the Syndicate of University Lecturers, SYNES, and the Union of Parent Teachers Association of Cameroon, UPTA, to stop government from going ahead with its plans.

He explained to the The Cameroon Journal, that the harmonization entails that all academic programmes in the two Anglo-Saxon state universities (UB and UBa) will completely be assimilated by the francophone system and that it will see the influx of many more French-speaking lecturers into the Anglo-Saxon universities than is currently the case.

“The harmonization of university programmes means that all the courses that will be done in state universities will be determined by the Ministry of Higher Education. Some of the departments to start with, include the departments of Law and Political Science,” said Dr. Nkongho.

“I am sure this is by design because they know that we are training and building up young Cameroonians in the Common Law system to have critical minds. Hence, this move is meant to discourage critical thinking. I have never seen anywhere in the world where university programmes are harmonized. I studied in England. In the United Kingdom, universities have their courses. They may be some similarities, but to say that a course studied in University A must be studied in University B is a lie…”

He added that: “That is what they (gov’t) tried to do with the GCE but it did not work. They are now shifting it to state universities.”

Like Nkongho, another lecturer at UB, who’s one of the front line members of SYNES, UB chapter, thinks the issue isn’t just about harmonizing the courses but it is intended to wipe out the English system of education in Cameroon.

He fumed: “The intention of this move is clearly that of assimilation. They want to assimilate us. Of late, you will discover that HTTTC Kumba and Bamenda are all flooded with Francophones who are finding it difficult to fit themselves in the system. That’s why government wants to assimilate us completely so that they can take over the entire system.”

“You cannot be talking about harmonization of university programmes. Universities are created based on the needs of society and each of them must have their specificities. So if all universities become the same university, are we addressing our needs?” he questioned.

Elaborating further, Sango noted; “This would mean that same courses run in Yaounde, will be run in Buea and the same courses will be run in Dschang and so on. For instance, if a student was admitted in Yaounde when he or she was not qualified to be admitted in Buea, he or she can still apply for transfer and come to the University of Buea…”

In the case of law, the political science lecturer said the teaching of Common Law will be in great jeopardy in the face of the harmonization move.

By this, he was simply adding his voice of lamentation to that of Dr. Nkongho who had told us earlier that the problem of language will be greatly compounded.

Hear Nkongho.“In the department of law particularly (in UB), the students that take minors in political science always complain to us. Francophone lecturers at times speak in French and students would start shouting in class. I mean, we are talking about an Anglo-Saxon university…”

With government’s announcement already on the airwaves that the said harmonization would go operational next academic year, it remains to be seen what reaction would come from bodies like CATTU, SYNES Buea, and Common Law lawyers, who have resolved to fight government’s plan only last weekend.