Cameroonians have reacted negatively to the news that President Biya will be offering laptops to University students. These reactions only go to add more fuel to the ardent hatred Cameroonians have for Paul Biya. In fact, it seems they want him gone as soon as now. This is true because as far back as 2001 when news broke of Paul Biya’s death, Cameroonians from across the territory jubilated publicly. The offering of laptops to University Students caught the attention of Cameroonian analyst in the UK, Mr. Callistus who wrote series of hard questions. He wrote to BaretaNews, hear him:
“..Offering free laptop to all students is a good gesture. There is no doubt in my mind that this gesture is extremely political ( the, therefore, the election is around the corner). Let’s assume that there are 500000 university students in Cameroon as reported by this article. Let’s also assume that a single laptop cost somewhere in the region of fcfa 100,000, therefore, implies that Biya would be spending circa fcfa 50.000.000.000 on this project.
Question 1: from where did Biya get this money?
Question 2) Was this fcfa 50.000.000.000 allocated in the national annual budget?
Question 3) What’s the quality of the laptop and what exactly is the average life span of the laptops?
Question 4) why is he offering these laptops only at this moment in time?
Question 5) Are there no other better alternatives or options other than free laptops for all students that the Biya’s regime could have exploited in improving students’ performance?
Question 6) How secured are these laptops? Are we sure these laptops are not coded or placed with devices to track down certain information or monitor students’ activities?
Question 7) And this is the most important. Couldn’t Biya have invested fcfa 50.000.000.000 to improve the general state of Cameroon Internet service that would have benefitted 22 million Cameroonians rather than 500.000 students?
If I were hired as a Consultant to advise Biya on what to spend fcfa 50.000.000.000 on, I would have strongly recommended that Biya uses the money to improve Internet service in Cameroon. Cameroon has the Internet but I learnt it’s not broadband. Internet connection in Cameroon is so slow. Certain areas are not accessible. If Biya would follow this approach, then not just all students will benefit, but the entire nation.
What is the essence of providing 500.000 students with laptops when they cannot actually make maximum or adequate use of the laptop?
It’s like providing all ministers with Ferrari when there are no proper roads to drive on with the Ferrari.
You are proud of having a Ferrari but you cannot actually enjoy the benefits (speed driving on good motorway) that go with it. While it is true that laptops are not only needed for online research, it’s widely believed that over 80% of students would require online service for their if they are provided with online facilities…..Mr. Callistus concluded.
The questions posed by Mr. Callistus are worth pondering and BaretaNews agrees with his analysis. However, like earlier said, BaretaNews argues that this is a direct political move and not some form of “love” from the President to the citizens. It is a direct political move from a politician who is looking ahead of 2018 Presidential elections. Would this move change the minds of Cameroonians in the forthcoming Presidential elections ? This is still left to be seen. However, though we cannot rely on the election body, ELECAM, Cameroonians should do a conscience vote.
God is still saying something.
79 comments
Mr. Callistus ur arguments or questions r baseless. The laptop will go a long way to help students in Cameroon. come n witness the internet service in Cameroon, stop hearing things from people.
our president offer laptops to Cameroonian students u complain, if he does not offer the laptops, u still complain.
BaretaNews u too don’t know what is good for Cameroonian.
pls informed Cameroonians n stop sharing bad & negative ideas.
peace n love shall prevail in Cameroon.
kante I agree with you. for those laptops will aid the students in their research, projects and many others.
Our President seems to understand very well the importance to promote education and does his best to support student by giving them Laptops.
I spoke with many students recently and they all welcome this idea simple bcs. it can help to structure their homework, with or without internet.
I am very sure that the next step will be that there will be free WIFI at universities were students and teachers can login free.
Instead that we as parents enjoying this improvement due to the fact that many of us cannot afford to buy one for our kids, we start to come with complot theories.
Funny is that I have not hear any parent who is complaining or willing to refuse to accept this offer.
There are only some people with political motivation that are willing to use ANY subject to complain about their, by many very beloved, President.
It are the same people that are writing here that instead students should improve, they prefer to receive the value of this laptop to improve their own lives, how disgusting egoistic!
They are the same people that stops Cameroon from development.
A perfect President does not excist, simply bcs. you cannot satisfy everybody, but let us look at this country: We have more than 30 years peace and stability and believe me, if one of you were living in one of those other African countries where there has been years of war and violence you should be thank God for this President and his vision for this country.
I think, he would love to move faster forward but it is the population here that has only one interest: How can I grab money from each project or improvement personally, instead of looking and searching for the interest of the population generally.
But the same people who are stealing money everywhere are the first one to point their fingers to others and want to show everybody how bad they are to hide their own criminal acts.
Those political stupid fools, I thank God that they are not running this country, and may God even forbid.
They will steel and eat everything and then discover there is nothing left for their children.
None of you could even stand this job as being a President for even one week!
And one of the reasons is that he has to deal with selfish people like you.
I would not even want to take his job for billions, believe me, bcs. of you type of people!
Instead of supporting students and appreciate the gift you come with stupid questions like:
“What’s the quality of the laptop and what exactly is the average life span of the laptops”
Well, it depends how you take care of them!
“How secured are these laptops? Are we sure these laptops are not coded or placed with devices to track down certain information or monitor students’ activities?”
How stupid you have to be that the President or his people are interested to read all comments and activities of 500.000 students?
And “Why now?”
Whenever he would do this, it would never be ok with you guys.
A President is like a Manager, he is managing the country and he can do it as good as his employees are willing to work and to deliver a good job, instead of hanging around in café’s the whole evening and night and spend all their money to their girlfriends instead of supporting their wife and children.
None of you is helping him in any possible way but you are the first one to complain!
Shame on you!
I am a foreigner, and I truly admire your President as well his wife for all they do for you ungrateful people. If you really think this idea of those laptops is a political move, then make a better one, unite and collect money in the society and buy also 500.000. Then I can have respect for you! And only then we can make this country to become an even better country, as long we all work together.
May God open your eyes and bless all of us.
long live the President.
long live Cameroon
lets not criticise at all hw many of us will share pencils to 50 kids durx exams? well its unfortunate that those who will not benefit will criticise the most. so wat the point pourx water on a ducks back meanwhile we knw that its clear that they will be shared n no one will die and take his/her own laptop?
that calistus man raise points as a blind man looks for his seat.am happy abt the presidents offer
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
kjshdfag