PhD holders in NW, SW threaten strike action over exemption from presidential recruitment

PhD holders under the Ministry of Secondary Education (MINESEC) say they will, in the days ahead, take their frustrations to authorities in Yaoundé.

They say they are currently planning a protest march to the Ministry of Higher Education (MINESUP) and the Star Building in Yaounde, owing to their exemption from the special recruitment of 2,000 university lecturers ordered by the President of the Republic.

“In the second phase of the recruitment, all those from MINESEC were eliminated and this was in line with a communique signed by Higher Education Minister instructing that all workers from different ministries should not be considered except those from the medical field which he later on debunked the communique,” one of them explains.

Despite later reversing the decision, the disgruntled PhD holders say the communique was still respected to the later.

He says “… On the list of requirements for the recruitment even in this 3rd phase just advertised, items 13 and 14 clearly authorise civil servants from different ministries to be considered upon presentation of the effective service and authorisation from their current bosses and ministers for the Universities of Bamenda, Ngaoundere and Maroua…”

“… That of the University of Dschang clearly respects the instruction of MINESUP boss, stating that the requirements 14 and 15 are considered only for medical doctors and even the other universities will respect them in practice,” he adds, noting that to him, the University of Dschang is just being honest.

“Moving from secondary to higher education is just progression in same field but rather people from a different field (medicine) are given priority over them. What crime did they commit to have PhD or to start teaching under MINESEC?” He questions.

The PhD holders say if government fails to come to their aid, they will once more protest till the right thing is done.

This would not be the first time PhD holders are protesting. In December 2019, several PhD holders spent days at the premises of the Ministry of Secondary Education.

A similar protest was organised in December 2020 and lasted several days before authorities put the situation under control.

Mimi Mefo Info