Annihilation Of Anglo-Saxon Education: Anglophone Group Pens Open Letter to PM, Bilingualism Commission Chief

Concerned by the continuous infiltration of Francophone lecturers into the Anglo-Saxon subsystem of Education, a group of Anglophones has sought the attention of Prime Minister Chief Dr. Joseph Dion and the Head of the Bilingualism Commission, Peter Mafany Musonge.

This letter was equally prompted by a recent redeployment of Ph.D. holders into universities which saw Anglophone lecturers being removed from Anglo-Saxon universities and replaced with French-speaking lecturers.

In this letter, the group explained that this strategy is another blunder that will go a long way further disunite the country rather than unite. Read the letter below:

An Open Letter to His Excellency Joseph Dion Ngute, PM and the Head of the Bilingualism Commission of Cameroon Peter Mafany Musonge

Subject: Recruitment of Ph.D. holders into state universities and removal of names of Anglophones from the final list.

Your Excellences, permit us to bring to your kind attention that the current recruitment process seems once again to disfavor Ph.D. holders from the NWSW regions especially those who already in service in the basic and secondary education ministries who are the few fortunate to have summoned the courage to further their education.

This is a repetition of an injustice endured during the first phase of the recruitment process wherein of 1237 recruited, the anticipated quota of about 245 assistant lecturers of NWSW extraction was to be met were we to follow regional balance or even revert to the special status clause invoked during recent recruitment processes and competitive entrance examinations into the public service following one of the recommendations of the 2019 Grand National Dialogue.

The non-respect of this provision from this milestone achievement towards consolidating our national unity while further catering for our socio-cultural diversity as shown by the fact that some of the names of these already minority group of NW and SW from the final list sent to universities for verification and replaced with names of others who have not even attended interviews in the two Anglo-Saxon universities of Bamenda and Buea, unfortunately, would eventually cause a decline in standards of our cherished Anglo-Saxon modeled State-owned universities.

This discrimination is further shown in that the number of people taken for numerical replacement from other universities is comparatively higher than that in other universities with almost none from NW/SW but those from other regions sent to the UBa and UB.

Cognisant that the State remains concerned about providing employment to those who do not have, as much as it is concerned with the principles of equity and the promotion of social advancement as well as the quality of the training of its youth, we will wish that applicants from the NW and SW Regions be given greater consideration during this second phase of the special recruitment of assistant lecturers into state-owned universities in view of upholding the standards of our Anglo-Saxon styled universities.

We are grateful for the strides taken so far for the recruitment of assistant lecturers of NWSW origin during the first phase and remain hopeful, Your Excellencies, that with your support, a little more could be done for pedagogues and researchers who are willing to serve their nation and foster the quality of education for the Cameroonian youth in state-owned universities in view of an emerging Cameroon.

While thanking you for all the efforts made in the fight to tar the road, in our country, to the devastating effects of COVID-19 under your auspices and the impetus of the Head of State, His Excellency Paul Biya, we will be glad if this is taken into account urgently.