Recruitment saga: striking PhD holders mocked, humiliated

They have spent years teaching as part time lecturers in state universities in Cameroon after several years of intense academic work.

These holders of doctorate degrees have chosen to serve Cameroon by training junior ones in various amphitheatres in Cameroon’s state universities.

Since Saturday 14th December 2019, over 120 disgruntled doctorate degree holders have been in a sit down strike in front of the ministry of Higher Education in Yaounde. They are demanding recruitment into the public service as lecturers.

To them, the decision to engage in an indefinite strike stems from the publication of a list of one thousand lecturers recruited by the ministry of higher education without their names.
They are denouncing a number of things in what they have described as “a fraudulent recruitment process”.

First, the striking PhD holders say the list features names of doctorate degree holders who are already working in the public service and others already gainfully employed elsewhere. They argue that the special recruitment is intended only for unemployed PhD holders in Cameroon.

Secondly, they are decrying the recruitment of holders of master degree while those with doctorate degrees have been sidelined. There have equally been accusations of the recruitment of foreigners, claims Mimi Mefo Info cannot independently confirm.

Since the beginning of the strike on Saturday the 14th of December 2019, the strikers have been received twice by the minister of higher education. During these meetings with Prof. Jacques Fame Ndongo, the disgruntled intellectuals say the minister has been in a desperate move of convincing them to call off the strike.

To Jacques Fame Ndongo, those who have not been recruited this year should further compile documents and apply next year, a suggestion those striking have turned down arguing that the age of others will not permit them to be recruited into the public service by 2020.

An attempt by Dr. Lekane Mvomou Brigette; one of the striking doctorate degree holders to commit suicide three days into the strike has further popularized the call for their recruitment.
To those striking, the scorching sun in front of the ministry of higher education, intimidation from the ministry of higher education and provocation from some members of the public will not deter them from demanding for what they say it is their right.

The presidency in Cameroon for over two weeks has given a deaf ear to the demand of those striking while minister Jacques Fame Ndongo has repeatedly proclaimed that he is incompetent to take a decision of recruiting those who are striking.

This has urged many to point accusing finger on the presidency for withholding the happiness of those striking while acknowledging that the minister of higher education is mainly a figure head with powers only to execute orders from the presidency.

After commemorating the symbolic birth of Jesus on the 25th of December at the courtyard of the ministry of higher education, the aggrieved, ambitious aspiring lecturers are determine to enter the new year 2020 in the same position if nothing is done to recruit them into the public service.