The issues of marginalization and the non-application of bilingualism resurfaced at the recent forum for the establishment of entrepreneurial universities in the private higher education sector in Cameroon. The event, held on Tuesday, September 24, was chaired by Cameroon’s Minister of Higher Education, Jacques Fame Ndongo.
Anglophone stakeholders from the North West and South West regions who attended the event were unhappy, accusing the organizer of marginalization throughout the forum. The cited language barriers and the exclusion of English-speaking institutions from the event’s key activities.
Anglophone participants alienated
MMI gathered that all presentations at the forum were conducted exclusively in French, leaving Anglophone participants struggling to follow along. Moreover, none of the private universities from the Anglophone regions were invited to showcase what they had to offer, further deepening the feeling of marginalization.
“Some of us who came from the North West and South West regions are almost lost. Everything is done in French. When meetings like this are organized, both languages should be prioritized,” said a participant during the meeting.
Taken by surprise
Other participants expressed frustration at the lack of prior notice. “We discovered so many things only when we got here. Other institutions were called for prior arrangements while we only saw a general invitation,” one attendee said.
“We are surprised with what we are seeing here. There are exhibition stands by institutions, but none from the Anglophone regions. We had no idea about this,” another participant added.
Only selected Francophone institutions were invited to make presentations, while those from the two Anglophone regions were left merely to observe, some of the attendees told MMI.
The forum’s presentations centered on integrating an enterprise model in private universities, with an emphasis on training, research, innovation, production, and employment. However, the exclusion of Anglophone institutions from these discussions raised concerns about their ability to benefit from the forum’s outcomes.
The forum also addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding the suspension of Health and Biomedical programs in both public and private universities. Minister Jacques Fame Ndongo explained that the Ministry of Higher Education does not have the legal authority to run these programs.
“The Ministry of Higher Education acted in error in the past and has come to the realization that they did not have the legality to run programs in the health biomedical fields. Only the Ministry of Public Health has the right according to the present law,” the minister clarified.
Where is the Bilingualism Commission?
The feeling of marginalization is not the first of its kind in Cameroon. On January 23, 2017, President Paul Biya created the National Commission (NCPBM).
It is an advisory body that is responsible for Promoting bilingualism and multiculturalism, Maintaining peace, Consolidating the country’s unity, Strengthening people’s willingness to live together, and Monitoring the implementation of the constitution’s equal status provisions for French and English.
But many English-speaking Cameroonians who have voiced marginalization concerns since 2016, said the body has failed to achieve its goals.
