Journalist, Mua Paul Kum, petitions UB for non-admission into Masters Programme

By Tata Mbunwe

Mua Paul Kum, a renowned journalist and BSc holder of a Journalism and Mass Communication degree from the University of Buea has filed a petition to the University’s Vice Chancellor.

This was after the Journalism and Mass Communication, JMC department failed to admit him for this year’s Masters in Journalism programme.

Soliciting the Vice Chancellor on behalf of Mua Paul, the Legend Law Advocates, whom he contacted, said the non-admission “was done in bad faith as punitive measure for his (Mua) critical journalistic views concerning the present socio-political climate in the country.”

Mua has already been featured on this year’s graduation list with a GPA of 3.11 out of 4, and a second class upper degree which has earned him the 5th position out of close to 400 graduands.

He feels the department is biased as the University requires that, to be eligible for postgraduate admission, a candidate must have a BSc in the field required with at least a second class degree, which Mua has.
His lawyers and solicitors have said the University’s VC should reply to their petition within 48 hours.

The list for newly-admitted Journalism Postgraduates was published last week with 34 students taken but Mua Paul was not not among them.

His petition to UB’s VC, Prof Horace Ngomo Manga, seeks to question why he has not been admitted despite emerging among one of the best graduates in the department this year, and despite meeting all requirements for admission of Postgraduate students.

Speaking to MMI, a lecturer in the JMC department says the Faculty, and not the department, is in charge of Postgraduate admissions and priority is usually given to Undergraduate students who, after graduation, spent some time out of the department to gain professional experience.

“This year, many students applied for masters and the chances for recently graduating students are very slim but Mua should not give up. He should try next year,” the lecturer said.
The lecturer further recounted that a Committe of Deans and Directors in UB, otherwise known as the Administrative Board, sits to decide and enroll students qualified for the masters programme.

The VC, DVCs, Registrar, and Deans are part of it. After evaluating the spread sheet – which contains the lists of students, their qualifications – the decision is made.

While admitting new Masters students, the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication is graduating at least 17 Masters students this November and Head of Department, Dr. Kingsley Ngange says he is looking forward to their thesis defences with optimism.

The department graduated two Doctorate students in August this year, despite alleged sexual scandals on the department’s Head, Dr. Ngange.