It was an apparently innocuous article tucked deep inside a recent issue of Cameroon Tribune, but its content was yet another message of despair from Cameroon. According to the article,
"Out of some 10,000 candidates who sat for the competitive entrance examination into the Customs Department of the Ministry of Finance, recently launched for holders of First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC), over 4,000 were university graduates."
Yes, you read correctly - 4000 university graduates sat for a public service exam meant for Primary/Elementary School pupils. This is undoubtedly the fallout from an outdated and irrelevant educational system – from primary school to the university – originally designed to train future civil servants, and not to develop an entrepreneurial class with ability to create jobs.
The result of this policy is a horde of unemployed and largely unemployable university graduates with no marketable skills, many of who “can be found patching car tires by the side of the road - unless they are lucky to find a school in need of a teacher”, or competing with primary school leavers for the few entry level civil service jobs still out there.
Imagine that! Hordes of professional bribe extorters (customs officers) with degrees. The economy such as it is will grind to a complete halt under the pressure from smart (and angry) Voltaire-spouting crooks. No issue with the kids. They must do what they have to do to survive.
Posted by: Ma Mary | July 21, 2006 at 04:50 PM
Yes,those are the vestiges of an antiquated,colonial and retrogressive educational system.If our educational system is not overhauled to respond to the exigencies of this New Millenium, we shall create a megalomaniac society,infact a 'zombie'state where the youth will resort to any means to eke out a living.Then the future being bleak,the youth shall turn to prey on the very existence of the nation.
Posted by: Nga Adolph | July 25, 2006 at 08:08 AM
All in all, present day Cameroon was founded on colonial principles which is what is rife in almost all developing countries today. Nations like India have successfully turned around some of the colonial trappings that were gnawing the development of their societies and instituted educational systems that are hinged on pricking the creative and innovative mind. Cameroon is stuck in a system where it is go to school get a certificate go to a professional school and become a slave to the civil service.
It is a deplorable system where individual's minds instead of being honed to be creative, are degenerated to servants and scouts for the destructive govenrments. No doubt those that call themselves in such systems instead of staying at research institute to do active research clamour for power and ministerial positions leaving research to the incompetent if they were competent at all in the first place!
The powers that be have to wake up and move with the pace of time. Build schools where people are taught to be inventive, where people's inventions can be patented and sold, where people learn that be inventive pays more than just being a consummer.
It is a far fetch cry though. As dumb as our leaders are. As selfcentred and selfish as out leaders are. As uncaring for the best of the common man as our leaders!
Posted by: Ernest Chi | July 26, 2006 at 07:32 AM
ernest chi, INDIA IS AN ANGLOSAXON COUNTRY
JUST AS SOUTHERN CAMEROONS
SOUTHERN CAMEROONS AND FRENCH CAMEROUN COME
COMEROUN, IS A DARK,BACKWARD COLONIAL CHILD
THAT NEVER KNOW WHAT DEMOCRACY IS. SOO DONT COMPARE THE TWO
OF COURSE ,IF ALL YOU PEOPLE CAN FIGHT TO GET SOUTHERN CAMEROONS ITS INDEPENDENCE
THEN YOUR YOOTHS WOULD NATURALLY GET THE SAME SOUND SYSTEM PRACTISE IN THE CIVILISE WORLD.
THE FACT IS WHEN A FRENCH CAMEROUNESE
SAYS(CAMEROUN) HE SEES BOTH HIS COUNTRY
AND SOUTHERN CAMEROONS AS ONE, HE DOESNT BOTHER TO ASK HIMSELF WHAT THE SOUTHERN CAMEROONIANS THINK OF THEIR IDENTITY AND
GEOGRAPHY.
Posted by: PAOLO LAURENT | August 22, 2006 at 02:53 PM
It is really shameful and very degrading that a university graduate should be struggling to acquire a job meant for a primary school holder.Where is our educational system heading to?where is the prestige that went along with being a university graduate?Something should be done fast from the appropriate quarters else we will find ourselves in a situation with citizens who are literate and at the same time illiterates because they must have lost the taste of being intellectually booming.I do not blame these graduates because they have to survive
Posted by: Johanna | October 25, 2006 at 11:07 AM
Y would the government imagine that the holder of a FSLC is qualified to work in the customs department of the ministry of finance? What level of productivity is expected of these candidates? Arguably, the minimum qualification for any such position (and i'm assuming that it's an entry position) should be a GCE Advanced level certificate holder or better still the unfortunate university graduates who had to vie for that position with FSLC holders. This may have a deterrent effect by encouraging FSLC holders to refrain from furthering their education and apply for these jobs when they reach the required age. The Cameroon government always gets it wrong.
Posted by: Judy | February 21, 2008 at 12:37 PM