The University of Buea (UB) has postponed its 26th Graduation Ceremony from December, when the event is traditionally organised, to January 2025.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ngomo Horace Manga, detailed this development in a release dated November 20, 2024.
The ceremony will now take place from Thursday, January 9, 2025, to Saturday, January 11, 2025, at the Herbert Nganjo Endeley Amphitheatre on campus.
According to the release, the event will follow a structured schedule over three days:
Thursday, January 9, 2025: Graduates from the Advanced School of Translators and Interpreters, College of Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Faculty of Laws and Political Science, and Faculty of Science will participate.
Friday, January 10, 2025: The Faculty of Health Sciences will host its convocation, which will include students from four graduating batches—2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Finally, Saturday, January 11, 2025: Convocation for the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Education, and Faculty of Social and Management Sciences.
The Vice-Chancellor called on all Heads of Establishments to “take the necessary steps to ensure the success of the 26th Convocation.”
Reaction from Students and the Public
The announcement has sparked mixed reactions from students and stakeholders.
Many graduating students, who had been eagerly awaiting the event this year, expressed their disappointment.
“It is discouraging to wait even longer to celebrate this milestone with our families,” said a final-year student in the Faculty of Science.
However, others have viewed the delay as an opportunity for better preparation.
“While the wait is disappointing, this may give the administration ample time to plan a more organized event,” stated a recent graduate from the Faculty of Health Sciences.
The decision to hold the ceremony in January aligns with efforts to accommodate all graduating batches, particularly in faculties with large numbers of students, such as Health Sciences.
UB, known by its slogan, The Place to Be, graduates thousands of students yearly. Last year, the Anglo-Saxon university graduated 4,961 students in a two-day ceremony.
