Students and former students of the University of Bamenda (UBa), Bamenda, have raised serious concerns about what they describe as a confusing and non-transparent certificate authentication process within the state institution.
According to testimonies from concerned graduates, students seeking to obtain or process official academic documents are often compelled to pay authentication fees for the General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level, Advanced Level, and even for certificates issued by the university itself before their files can be processed.
One former student told BaretaNews that the procedure appears inconsistent with practices in some other state universities, where verification of GCE certificates is reportedly conducted directly through the GCE Board without imposing additional authentication charges on students.
Beyond the payment issue, the graduates allege that the system lacks transparency and accountability. Several students reportedly make payments without receiving official receipts, while others who later seek follow-up on their files are allegedly told there is no record of their payments.
Sources further claim that some graduates have been told their certificates could not be processed, authenticated, or printed because the required authentication fees had not been paid, despite previous attempts to complete the process.
The concerned students are now calling on the central administration of the University of Bamenda, particularly the office of the vice-chancellor, to urgently investigate the allegations and establish a standardised, transparent, and accountable payment mechanism. They insist that every payment should be accompanied by an official receipt to eliminate confusion and protect both students and the institution.
According to the complainants, introducing a clear and traceable system would reduce unnecessary delays in certificate processing, prevent financial losses, and spare graduates the hardship often associated with obtaining crucial academic documents needed for employment and further studies.
At the time of filing this report, the administration of the University of Bamenda had not publicly responded to the concerns raised by students and graduates.
By Lucas Muma – BaretaNews
