The Cameroons is a bilingual country with English and French as official languages. The present country came as a result of two different countries coming together. I will spare the long road of history here, but on how the present regime has succeeded in presenting the country to the international community as a French country it still beats my imagination. This has led to several Universities demanding an extra certificate from English Cameroonian to prove their English proficiency even after studying all their lives in English while persons from Ghana, Nigeria etc are given a free pass. It has even led to some Universities rejecting English Universities degrees in favour of French University degrees. Is this what harmonisation was about?

Recently, Cameroon activist, journalist and free thinker Tapang Ivo Tanku wrote why the French degrees so called Maitrise should be called off. Hear him:

“If one thing has always baffled me, it is the existing of the “Maitrise” system of education, when in fact, it is very irrelevant in contemporary academia. I will explain. Cameroon has two distinct systems of education. The English “Bachelors – Masters – Doctorate” system, and on the other hand, a similar French system that also incorporates “Maitrise” — whatever that could mean in English if at all there is an English translation for it. Why would an English-speaking Cameroonian choose to gamble his/her life with the not-so-sure maitrise system upon completing with a bachelor’s degree. Maitrise is only a waste of time, as it is further compounded by a required grade point average for students seeking to transition from Maitrise 1 to Maitrise 2…”

Tapang Continues…..

“This means that a student would be dropped of easily if the requirement is not met. This is ludicrous and logically dubious because marks are often traded for sex and cash, and defiant students are often failed dubiously, it is reported. In my opinion, any smart student should drop off the maitrise and do a full masters programme at once. Besides, that qualification is only recognized in Cameroon, to the best of my knowledge. Who else apart from ENAM?…”

And concluded…..

“..It could be advised that you move straight into you desired masters programme, and do not waste your time studying something that the lecturers themselves do not even trust. When some people add “maitrise I and II” in their CVs, I weep. It is sheer ignorance.The French system of education in Cameroon if failing and failing. Kill the maitrise and adopt a masters programme, I strongly suggest…”

However, one University in UK called Queen marys University London disagrees with Tapang Ivo. They see Cameroun more as a French country or recognises law degree mostly from Cameroun French Universities. In a letter send to one applicant called Bechem from the Cameroons, the University wrote ” For applicants from the Cameroon, we require a Maitrise ( 4 years) with an overall grade of GPA 3.0/4.0, or higher as a minimum entry requirement (see attachment)

The said student who released this information to BaretaNews felt embarrassed and could not proceed because he obtain a law degree from the University of Buea. BaretaNews is confident this is not the case everywhere as Anglo-saxon education has proven to be the best, but it still beats our imagination why would an Anglo Saxon University in UK, a colonial master of former British Southern Cameroons will prefer a degree from a French system than an English system.

BaretaNews thinks it is high time something is done. Such Universities should be called out publicly for discriminating against English Speaking Cameroonians. Students from English Speaking Universities from the Cameroons have equal right to be treated fairly. The Cameroons is not a French country.

God is still saying something.