Education

24, September 2026

Manyu Division: ‘NguidEjagham’ App Launched ⁰

In a historic milestone for the preservation of cultural heritage, the Nguid Ejagham Development Initiative in a dynamic cooperation with Ekume Ejagham NRW Germany has officially launched “Nguid Ejagham (Ejagham Academy),” a groundbreaking web-based application designed to revitalize and sustain the Ejagham language. Accessible globally at https://ejagham.org, this digital platform serves as a modern bridge connecting the indigenous Ejagham people of Manyu Division, Cameroon, to their linguistic roots, no matter where they reside in the world.

The primary objective of the initiative is to enhance the daily use and learning of the Ejagham language, focusing specifically on the dialect spoken in Central Ejagham within Eyumojock Sub-division. In an increasingly globalized world where indigenous languages face the threat of erosion, “Nguid Ejagham (Ejagham Academy)” offers an innovative solution by transforming smartphones and computers into interactive classrooms.

The mastermind behind this technological feat is Tambendiparrah Tanyi, a German-trained engineer and professional Senior IT Consultant. Driven by a passion for his roots and a vision for digital cultural preservation, Mr. Tanyi spearheaded the technical development of the platform. To ensure the application met world-class standards, he built a collaboratively dedicated and talented technical team, including Mr. OjongTabot, a Senior Software test Lead, and Mr. Roland Eta, a pharma technical support engineer.

The resulting platform is an all-in-one educational ecosystem. The app features a comprehensive digital dictionary, grammar guides, and structured practice exercises to guide beginners and intermediate speakers alike. For advanced utility, it incorporates an AI-powered translator and an interactive AI Tutor. Users can also immerse themselves in Ejagham culture through curated stories, proverbs, idioms, daily phrases, and a dedicated culture map.

With the application now fully functional and publicly available, a global call to action is being extended to every Ejagham indigene across the diaspora—from Limbe, Buea, Kumba, Douala, Yaoundé to Europe, the Americas, and beyond. Community leaders emphasize that the success of this initiative relies entirely on community ownership.

Parents are highly encouraged to use the application to teach their children the language of their ancestors, ensuring that the next generation does not lose its identity. Likewise, adults wishing to improve their fluency or reconnect with their heritage are urged to integrate the app into their daily routines.

The Nguid Ejagham Development Initiative calls upon all sons and daughters of Manyu to not only actively use the platform but to support its growth through continuous engagement and advocacy. By embracing this digital tool, the Ejagham community can ensure that their beautiful language remains vibrant, spoken, and celebrated for generations to come.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai in Mulheim, Germany

22, September 2026

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Dion Ngute pushes for safer school return ⁰

Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute has called for stronger security around schools in Cameroon’s North-West and South-West regions, where several incidents have marked the start of the academic year and 223,749 children remain completely out of school.

Dion Ngute chaired a meeting on September 17, 2026, to assess security conditions and the resumption of classes in the two Anglophone regions.

In the North-West, Governor Adolphe Lele Lafrique said the security situation was generally under control, with security forces deployed around schools, according to a report on the meeting published by Cameroon Tribune. Several incidents have nevertheless occurred since classes resumed.

In Wum, a police commissioner was killed on September 8 during an attack on the Government Teachers’ Training College. Five teaching staff members were abducted and later freed following an operation by security forces. Other incidents were reported in Bamenda, Bui and Benakuma.

About 53,000 primary school pupils and 26,000 secondary school students had been registered in the North-West. Donga-Mantung and Mezam recorded attendance rates above 60%. The governor also cited teacher shortages and the circulation of vehicles without traceable license plates among the challenges authorities face.

About 300 of 400 Schools Operating in the South-West

In the South-West, Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai said about 68,000 students had returned to public and private schools by September 15. Around 300 of the region’s 400 schools were operational. Dion Ngute instructed administrative authorities to continue efforts to bring children back to school and ensure that teachers and other public employees report to their posts.

He also called for traditional leaders, local elected officials, religious leaders and civil society organizations to take part in the effort.

More Than 2,400 Schools Remain Closed

The figures on students who have returned to class only tell part of the story. The Anglophone crisis continues to keep a large number of schools closed and hundreds of thousands of children out of the education system.

In an article published on September 11, 2026, UNICEF, citing regional basic education authorities, reported that 2,463 schools remained non-operational across the North-West and South-West.

The North-West accounted for 2,005 of those schools, while 458 were in the South-West. UNICEF also reported that 223,749 children were completely out of school across the two regions.

Source: Sbbc

8, September 2026

Yaoundé: Papal Nuncio says ‘preventing children from going to school is diabolical’ ⁰

At the start of the 2026/2027 academic year in Cameroon, the Apostolic Nuncio to Cameroon, Archbishop José Avelino Bettencourt, warns against the forced boycott of schools in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions.

For the past ten years, the North West and South West regions have been reeling from a separatist crisis, with the boycott of schools a cornerstone of the separatist strategy.

The statistics have been stark. According to UNICEF, the crisis has forced the closure of more than 6,000 schools, affecting more than 800,000 children.

A report by Save the Children indicates that, on average, children in the North West region have lost three and a half years of schooling due to the crisis, and that the number of teenage pregnancies in the North West region has increased by 45 percent because of the crisis.

In addition, thousands of teachers have fled the region, with the World Bank reporting that absenteeism rates in both regions are as high as 50 percent.

According to Human Rights Watch, armed groups have attacked at least 75 schools and abducted over 150 education personnel since 2016.

Bettencourt says children have become the ultimate victims of these developments.

With schools opening their doors on September 7 for the start of the 2026/27 academic year, the Portuguese-Canadian prelate warns that forcing kids out of school is “utterly diabolical.”

“As the new school year begins, our thoughts go to the most vulnerable members of our community, the children,” the archbishop said.

“Preventing children from going to school is wrong,” the nuncio said in a video message published on September 1.

“Violence is never acceptable. Let that be quite clear,” he added.

Bishop George Nkuo of Kumbo in the North West Region has issued a similar call, telling Crux Now that children’s right to education must not be negotiable.

“Ask me what can be the greatest gift that can be given to children, especially the underprivileged, in a community plagued by sociopolitical unrest, and I will remind you of what men of old used to say: that the man who turns his back to education invites poverty into his household,” Nkuo said.

Kumbo has been the epicenter of separatist violence, and the impact on society has been incalculable.

“Kidnappings and torture — both physical and psychological — have tragically become common in Kumbo over the past few years. I have witnessed thousands of children of all ages leaving Kumbo out of fear,” Nkuo told Crux Now.

“The population is on edge; they are terrified of the lockdowns and the chaos that rules the streets,” he added.

“We have seen so many people flee Kumbo because they have been targeted, and the number of victims is staggering. I have seen people begging for food just to feed their children,” the bishop explained.

“Confused and lost, they face military checkpoints and heavy separatist controls on the roads where we are all advised to stay away. So many people have been kidnapped — victims of a senseless cycle of abduction,” Nkuo told Crux Now.

On Aug. 30, the bishop celebrated Mass for a male-dominated Church group in the diocese known as the Samba Action Group. It’s an annual Mass usually celebrated at the start of each school year.

Given the crisis’s impact on education, the group has initiated what it calls “Giving Someone a Future,” with the overarching aim of supporting the bishop in sponsoring underprivileged children in school.

Nkuo said he was glad that, despite the ongoing socio-political crisis, the group has continued to encourage children to pursue an education.

“This resilience is remarkable given that kidnappings and torture, both physical and psychological, have been all too common in Kumbo in recent years,” the bishop said.

Describing the members of the Samba Action Group as modeling the Christian values of parenthood, he noted that “even those [members] who may not have had the educational opportunities they desired understand that education is indispensable for any society hoping for a bright future.”

“Is this, then, not an initiative worthy of emulation and support by all?” Nkuo said.

Meanwhile, various separatist factions, historically united in calling for a boycott of schools in the two regions, have been sending mixed signals ahead of the start of the new school year.

The Ambazonia Governing Council (AGovC), the largest separatist faction, has urged parents to facilitate the unconditional return of children to school.

The Interim Government (IG) has also said it is open to allowing kids to resume school.

John Mbah Akuroh, who leads The Consortium, a civil society group advocating for the independence of Cameroon’s English-speaking regions, told Crux Now that separatist groups had ended the era of school boycotts.

“We don’t do school boycotts anymore,” he said.

“We need our children back in school, and we are doing everything to ensure that children go to school in a very conducive environment,” Akuroh told Crux Now.

Culled from Crux

3, September 2026

Southern Cameroons Crisis: rising violence threatens school reopening ⁰

Four days before Cameroon’s 2026-27 school year begins on Sept. 7, International Crisis Group (ICG) has warned that violence recorded in August could disrupt the reopening of schools in the country’s two Anglophone regions.

“Rising violence in the Anglophone regions could affect school reopening in September,” the organization warned in its monthly conflict monitoring report published Sept. 2, 2026. ICG based its warning on several incidents recorded during August. In the Northwest region, the organization reported that separatists attacked the Nkor gendarmerie brigade on Aug. 5 in an attempt to free fighters detained there. Security forces responded to the attack.

On Aug. 11, armed men also intercepted passengers along the Batibo-Mamfe road. ICG reported the abduction of about 20 civilians. That figure differs from a report by Xinhua, which cited residents and security sources and said at least 13 people were taken into the bush by the attackers. The assailants later demanded a ransom, according to the report.

In the Southwest region, ICG reported an ambush on a military convoy along the Buea-Muyuka road on Aug. 8, followed by clashes between separatists and defense forces near Buea on Aug. 15.

The increase in violence comes just before the start of the school year, a period that has repeatedly felt the effects of the conflict in the two Anglophone regions.

Since the sociopolitical crisis began in 2016 and later developed into an armed conflict, schools, teachers and students have faced violence, restrictions on movement and school boycott campaigns.

More than 88 attacks on education reported in first half

The education sector remains directly exposed to the conflict. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than 88 attacks on education were reported between January and June 2026.

Schools have been targeted, while teachers have faced threats that include intimidation and abductions. Movement restrictions, hostage-taking and illegal checkpoints have also complicated access to schools and other essential services in areas affected by the violence.

Government steps up security ahead of school reopening

The Cameroonian government reviewed security arrangements for the new school year at an Aug. 26 meeting at the Ministry of Defense. The meeting, chaired by Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defense Joseph Beti Assomo, brought together representatives from the Ministry of Territorial Administration, the national police, the national gendarmerie, intelligence services and the military high command.

Among the security concerns identified was the continued enforcement of Monday “ghost town” orders in some communities in the Northwest and Southwest regions.

At the end of the meeting, Beti Assomo ordered an intensification of security operations in coordination with administrative authorities and local stakeholders ahead of the planned Sept. 7 return to school.

Source: Sbbc

1, September 2026

Fame Ndongo tightens private college admissions ahead of 2026-27 academic year ⁰

Cameroon is reinforcing oversight of admissions at private higher education institutions ahead of the 2026-27 academic year, as colleges step up recruitment for professional programs.

In an August 21 statement, Higher Education Minister Jacques Fame Ndongo reminded private higher education institutions (IPES) of the academic requirements for admission to the Brevet de technicien supérieur (BTS), Higher National Diploma (HND) and professional bachelor’s degree programs. The ministry said the rules must be strictly observed and warned that institutions that fail to comply could face sanctions.

The reminder comes just weeks before the new academic year, when institutions typically intensify enrollment and admission campaigns. The ministry aims to ensure that students entering these programs meet the academic standards set by national regulations.

For programs leading to the national BTS and HND examinations, admission is limited to students who hold the baccalaureate, GCE Advanced Level (A/L) or another qualification officially recognized as equivalent. Applicants without one of these credentials are therefore not eligible for admission.

Requirements differ for the professional bachelor’s degree, a two-semester program designed for students who have already completed an initial course of higher education. Applicants must hold a national diploma representing at least two years of postsecondary study, including the BTS, HND, DUT or DEUG, or another recognized equivalent qualification.

By restating these requirements, the ministry is also seeking to regulate admission practices at private institutions as they prepare for the new academic year. Fame Ndongo instructed IPES operators to “strictly comply with this regulatory measure” and warned that violations would expose institutions to sanctions under existing regulations.

The warning is intended in particular to prevent institutions from relaxing admission requirements in ways that conflict with national standards.

The timing comes as higher education institutions prepare for the 2026-27 academic year and the ministry continues to issue decisions on entrance examinations, admissions and academic programs. The government wants the requirements advertised by individual institutions to remain consistent with national rules.

The measure also forms part of broader oversight of private higher education. As professional programs and fields of study become more diverse, compliance with entry requirements remains important for both institutions and students who intend to continue their studies within these programs.

The ministry’s statement also serves as a warning to prospective students and their families ahead of enrollment. Candidates are encouraged to verify not only the programs offered by an institution but also whether they meet the regulatory requirements for admission.

The goal is to prevent students from entering programs without the required prior qualification, which could later create problems when they seek to continue their studies or sit the relevant national examinations.

Source: Sbbc

27, August 2026

Teachers in Cameroonian Catholic schools cautioned against selling marks ⁰

Bishop Michael Miabesue Bibi of Cameroon’s Catholic Diocese of Buea has cautioned teachers and administrators in Catholic schools against examination malpractice, the sale of marks, drug abuse and other misconduct, urging educators to uphold integrity and protect the students entrusted to their care.

In his homily during a thanksgiving Mass for teachers of the Diocese of Buea at the Divine Mercy Co-Cathedral, Bishop Bibi reflected on the 2025-2026 academic year and issued recommendations for the new academic year.

“Education is about the formation of the whole human person,” he said during the Wednesday, August 26 Eucharistic celebration, describing education as “one of the greatest investments we can make in the future of our society.”

Through education, he added, young people should not only be prepared to pass examinations but also to develop their minds and character, discover their talents and become positive contributors to society.

Bishop Bibi emphasized that Catholic schools have a responsibility to form students in integrity, discipline and compassion.

“The mission of a Catholic school cannot be reduced to producing excellent examination results. If all we do is produce students with excellent grades, but without integrity, discipline, compassion, that is why Catholic teachers must always make a difference,” he said.

He said teachers working in Catholic institutions, regardless of their religious affiliation, assume a particular responsibility to respect, uphold and promote the values of Catholic education.

“Our students are watching us. They listen to what we teach, but they also observe how we lead,” the Catholic Church leader said.

He added, “We are supposed to be light bearers. We are supposed to be a good example. We are supposed to be a model for the students that we teach.”

Bishop Bibi issued a particular warning against examination malpractice, insisting that Catholic schools must not compromise academic integrity in pursuit of impressive results.

“We cannot preach integrity in the morning and facilitate examination malpractice in the afternoon. The reputation of our Catholic schools must never be built upon fraudulent results. I would rather have an honest result that challenges us to improve than an impressive result obtained through dishonesty,” he said.

He called on teachers, administrators and other education personnel to protect the integrity of examinations and assessment.

“Marks are not commodities for sale. No student should have to pay a teacher in order to receive marks that he or she has legitimately earned. Likewise, no student should be able to purchase marks that he or she has not earned,” he said.

The Local Ordinary of Buea described the practice as corruption that is unjust to hardworking students and damaging to the education system.

“A teacher has been entrusted with enormous power over students. That power must never be exploited for financial or personal gain,” he said.

Bishop Bibi also urged parents not to encourage teachers to favor their children by offering money or other incentives.

He also warned against the growing challenge of drug abuse and immoral behavior among young people.

The Local Ordinary of Buea, who started his Episcopal Ministry in March 2017 as Auxiliary Bishop of Cameroon’s Bamenda Archdiocese, said Catholic schools cannot remain indifferent when such behaviors affect students and urged teachers never to become part of the problem.

“No teacher should introduce students to drugs, encourage substance abuse, facilitate immoral behavior, or exploit the vulnerability of the students,” he said.

Instead, he said, teachers should serve as protectors and guides by paying attention to changes in students’ behavior, listening to them, correcting them and offering appropriate support.

“Listen to them, guide them, correct them, love them, and make sure that you discipline them so that they don’t get involved in habits that would destroy their future,” Bishop Bibi said.

He reminded educators that the children entrusted to Catholic schools belong first to God and their families, who place them in the care of teachers with confidence.

The Bishop of Buea acknowledged the financial and economic challenges facing teachers, families and Catholic educational institutions.

Despite these difficulties, he praised teachers for continuing to make sacrifices in their work.

“As a diocese, we must continue listening to you and working together to improve our Catholic educational institutions and the conditions under which we carry out our mission,” he said.

Bishop Bibi called for continued dialogue between teachers, school administrators, the education secretariat and the bishop so that challenges can be addressed constructively.

As the new academic year begins on September 7, Bishop Bibi urged teachers to approach their work as a vocation rather than simply as employment.

“Do not enter the classroom simply because another academic year has begun. Enter with a mission,” he said.

Culled from aciafrica

23, July 2026

Minister Nalova shuts 105 private schools ⁰

Weeks before the start of the 2026-2027 school year, Cameroon has ordered the closure of 105 private schools across seven of the country’s 10 regions for failing to comply with education regulations. While the move is part of a years-long effort to clean up the private education sector, it also highlights the limits of an oversight system that continues to struggle to stop unauthorized schools from operating.

In a statement issued on July 20, the Ministry of Secondary Education said Minister Nalova Lyonga had signed three ministerial orders shutting down the schools for the upcoming academic year. The institutions were found to have violated legal requirements governing their creation, operation, or expansion.

According to official documents, the decisions follow inspections carried out in June by the National Brigade for the Inspection of Private Schools. Most of the violations involved schools operating without official authorization or accreditation, in breach of Cameroon’s 2004 law regulating private education.

The latest closures are far from unusual. Every year, in the weeks leading up to the new school year, the Ministries of Secondary Education and Basic Education publish lists of private schools ordered to close while urging parents to enroll their children only in approved institutions.

The recurring pattern underscores the difficulty of regulating a fast-growing private education sector. Despite repeated inspection campaigns, new schools continue to open before completing the administrative procedures required by law. This year’s closures, including 52 schools in the Littoral region alone, suggest that while enforcement actions punish violations, they have done little to prevent new cases from emerging.

The spread of unauthorized private schools is partly driven by growing pressure on Cameroon’s education system. Population growth, rapid urbanization, and limited capacity in many public schools have increased demand for private education, particularly in urban areas. Some school operators respond by opening before obtaining all required permits, hoping to regularize their status later. Others expand existing schools or open new branches without prior approval.

The timing of inspections also contributes to the problem. They typically take place only weeks before the school year begins, even though many of the schools have already been operating for months or even years. As a result, the closures often function as corrective measures rather than preventive ones.

Although the sanctions target school operators, families bear much of the immediate impact. Parents may learn only days before classes begin that the school where they enrolled their child will not open, forcing them to secure another place after already paying registration or tuition fees. The closures also disrupt students’ education and leave teachers employed by the affected schools without work just before the new academic year starts.

The ministry stressed that operating authorization is more than an administrative formality. It is intended to ensure that schools meet minimum standards for infrastructure, safety, teaching quality, staff qualifications, and curriculum compliance.

As the 2026-2027 school year approaches, the latest wave of closures serves as both a reminder of regulatory requirements and a sign of a deeper challenge: balancing rising demand for education with effective oversight of the private school sector. Until that balance is achieved, school closure lists are likely to remain a recurring feature of back-to-school preparations in Cameroon.

Source: Business in Cameroon

14, July 2026

Buea: UB mourns Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Sakwe Masumbe ⁰

The University of Buea (UB) has been plunged into mourning following the death of Professor Peter Sakwe Masumbe, Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Internal Control and Evaluation, whose passing has left a deep void within the institution and the country’s higher education sector.

The sad news was officially announced by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea, Professor Horace Ngomo Manga, in a memorandum dated July 10, 2026, addressed to members of the university community. In the message, the Vice-Chancellor expressed profound sorrow over the passing of the senior academic administrator, who died on Monday, July 6, 2026.

“It is with profound sadness and deep regret that I announce to the entire University of Buea Community the death of Professor Peter Sakwe Masumbe,” the Vice-Chancellor stated, describing the loss as one that has deeply affected the institution.

Professor Masumbe served as Deputy

Vice-Chancellor in charge of Internal Control and Evaluation, a strategic position he assumed in June 2022. Throughout his tenure, he played a pivotal role in strengthening the university’s internal control mechanisms and evaluation systems, contributing significantly to institutional accountability, quality assurance and effective administrative oversight.

As Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Masumbe was entrusted with ensuring transparency and efficiency in the university’s internal governance structures. His office was instrumental in monitoring institutional performance and supporting the implementation of policies aimed at improving academic and administrative standards within the University of Buea.

Colleagues who worked closely with him remember him as a committed academic, disciplined administrator and a humble leader whose dedication to service earned him the respect of staff, students and stakeholders alike.

In his condolence message, Professor Ngomo Manga called on members of the University of Buea community to keep the late professor and his bereaved family in their thoughts and prayers during this difficult period.

He further disclosed that details concerning the funeral programme and institutional arrangements to honour Professor Masumbe’s memory would be communicated in due course. “Members of the UB Community are requested to keep Professor Masumbe and his family in their thoughts and prayers. Details of the funeral programme and any institutional arrangements to honour his memory will be communicated in due course,” the memorandum stated.

The announcement has generated an outpouring of sympathy from members of the university community, alumni and well wishers, many of whom have described the late professor as an accomplished scholar and dedicated servant whose contributions to higher education will not be forgotten.

Professor Masumbe’s death comes at a time when the University of Buea continues to pursue reforms aimed at strengthening institutional governance and improving academic excellence. His experience and commitment to internal control and evaluation were widely regarded as essential to achieving those objectives.

As the university community reflects on his legacy, many have praised his professionalism, integrity and unwavering commitment to the advancement of the institution.

The University of Buea, one of Cameroon’s leading state universities, has extended its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family while assuring that the institution will appropriately honour the life and service of the late Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

Professor Peter Sakwe Masumbe leaves behind a legacy of dedicated public service, academic excellence and institutional leadership that will continue to inspire future generations within the University of Buea and beyond.

May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace

Source: The Sun Newspaper

7, July 2026

Cameroon misses out again on U.S. Global University rankings ⁰

Cameroon remains absent from one of the world’s leading university rankings, underscoring the country’s continued struggle to gain international recognition for its research output.

In the 2026-2027 Best Global Universities Rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, no Cameroonian university appears among the more than 2,250 institutions ranked across more than 100 countries.

Compiled in partnership with Clarivate, the rankings place strong emphasis on research performance rather than teaching quality or institutional reputation alone. Universities are assessed using indicators such as global and regional research reputation, publication output, citation impact, international collaboration and the production of highly cited research.

South African and Egyptian universities lead Africa

African universities remain largely led by institutions from South Africa and Egypt. The University of Cape Town retained its position as Africa’s highest-ranked university, placing 122nd globally. It was followed by Cairo University (221st) and the University of the Witwatersrand (240th).

Egypt continued to strengthen its presence with institutions such as Mansoura University, ranked 267th worldwide, and Al-Azhar University, ranked 279th. Nigeria also maintained a visible presence, with the University of Ibadan ranked 264th globally.

Against that backdrop, Cameroon remains absent from the rankings, highlighting the gap between its universities and the research standards used in major international league tables.

The rankings primarily measure scientific research rather than student enrollment or teaching capacity. While Cameroon’s universities educate tens of thousands of students each year and play a central role in the country’s higher education system, they remain relatively underrepresented in major international research databases.

The indicators used by U.S. News favor institutions that publish extensively in indexed journals, produce highly cited research, collaborate internationally and contribute influential scientific work.

As a result, the rankings reflect a university’s role in global research rather than the scale of its academic programs.

Long-standing structural constraints

Cameroon’s limited research visibility reflects broader structural challenges. Research funding remains constrained, many laboratories lack adequate equipment and resources, and the volume of internationally indexed scientific publications remains relatively low.

Universities also face challenges in attracting international researchers and building sustained partnerships with leading global research institutions. Other factors, including university governance, doctoral supervision and the overall research environment, continue to affect the country’s ability to compete internationally.

More than a question of prestige

Appearing in major international university rankings has become increasingly important beyond institutional reputation. Strong rankings can help universities attract international students, secure research partnerships, improve access to funding and strengthen their position within global research networks.

For Cameroon, gaining a place in these rankings will require more than expanding access to higher education.

It will depend on sustained investment in research, stronger international collaboration, improved university governance and policies that support high-quality scientific output.

The latest U.S. News rankings reinforce a broader trend in global higher education: universities are increasingly judged not by the number of students they educate, but by their ability to generate new knowledge and contribute to international research.

Source: Sbbc

19, June 2026

Biometric census prompts review of 11,000 education ministry employees ⁰

Cameroon’s Ministry of Secondary Education (Minesec) has launched a major review of its workforce following a nationwide physical and biometric census conducted in early 2026. After consolidating the data, the ministry asked more than 11,000 employees to clarify their administrative status within 14 days. Through the exercise, the ministry is doing more than updating its records. It is also exposing the scale of the weaknesses that continue to affect its human resources management system.

In a series of notices signed on June 15, 2026, Minister Pauline Nalova Lyonga called on several categories of personnel to report to the relevant services of the ministry to clarify their status. The figures released by Minesec paint a troubling picture. The ministry identified 5,659 employees reported by their supervisors as having abandoned their positions, 392 employees classified as absent or deserters, 1,319 personnel reported to be living outside the country, and 3,172 employees whose administrative status is considered “unknown.”

One of the most striking findings concerns 392 individuals who continue to receive salaries from the ministry despite reportedly not belonging to any of its official structures. That figure alone highlights one of the operation’s main objectives. Beyond verifying attendance, Minesec is also seeking to regain control of an administrative and payroll database whose reliability now appears seriously compromised.

The personnel concerned have 14 days from the publication of the notices to submit the required documentation. The file must include, among other documents, census forms generated through the biometric platform and validated by supervisors, a certificate confirming effective presence at the workplace and indicating attendance levels and administrative status, a detailed account of the employee’s administrative situation over the past three years, a copy of the recruitment document, and a recent payslip. The ministry warned that any missing document will result in the rejection of the application.

The strict nature of the procedure reflects the scope of the operation. The ministry is no longer focusing on isolated irregularities. Instead, it is reviewing cases that could affect career management, actual staffing levels in schools, and the use of public funds.

The physical and biometric census that triggered the process took place nationwide between March 9 and April 8, 2026. It covered personnel working in schools as well as employees on training assignments or seconded to other government institutions. Officially, the goal was to establish a reliable picture of the workforce within the secondary education system. The initial findings, however, suggest that the exercise has revealed a deeper problem involving administrative traceability.

The operation comes at a time when the education sector already faces significant human resource challenges. For years, the administration has struggled to monitor staffing levels, fill certain positions, and retain personnel. These issues have been compounded by growing migration abroad among teachers and other public servants, although the figures released by the ministry do not indicate where the employees identified as living outside the country are located.

That is what gives the exercise a significance that goes beyond disciplinary concerns. Minesec is not simply dealing with cases of job abandonment or prolonged absence. It is also trying to determine who actually belongs to its services, who is physically present, who continues to receive a salary, and how these situations were allowed to persist administratively.

In that sense, the biometric census has become a tool for restoring control. It allows the ministry to compare its records against the reality of employee attendance, assignments, and administrative positions. At the same time, it reveals the extent of the administrative disorder that routine procedures had evidently failed to address.

The ministry presents the operation as a way to clean up personnel records, secure data, and improve human resource management. But the figures already made public show that it is also a test of the administration’s own credibility. When a ministry is forced to ask more than 11,000 employees to justify their status, questions inevitably arise about its actual control over its workforce.

The review could lead to disciplinary measures, administrative regularizations, and a broader cleanup of personnel records. More importantly, it should help the ministry distinguish between employees who are effectively serving in their positions and those whose administrative, professional, or payroll status now requires closer examination.

At Minesec, the biometric census no longer looks like a routine monitoring exercise. It is already emerging as a sign of deeper structural weaknesses in the management of secondary education personnel. Through the irregularities it has uncovered, it also serves as a reminder that staffing challenges are not only about teacher shortages, but also about the state’s continuing difficulty in determining precisely who still belongs to its own workforce.

Source: Sbbc