Minister Drenched In Rain As 20,000 Striking Students Boo

By Clovis Atatah & Kini Nsom

Higher Education Minister, Prof. Jacques Fame Ndongo, was trapped in a torrential downpour for over one hour, Wednesday, while addressing striking students on the campus of University of Yaounde I.About 20,000 students of the University of Yaounde I, joined by some of their mates in the University of Yaounde II at Soa, booed and jeered

Prof. Fame Ndongo, as he tried to persuade them to call of their strike, the most massive in the last decade.

Students gathered on the university campus early in the morning in continuation of their one-week strike action, in defiance of an announcement on CRTV that they had called off the strike.

Students of the Higher Teachers' Training College also took to the streets on Wednesday morning, in solidarity with the students of the faculties.
Excitement mounted on campus when it was announced that the Minister of Higher Education was going to address them.

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As the students waited, they chanted the national anthem and popular tracks with lyrics like "Le pays va mal" as well as Anne Marie Nzie's Liberté. Thousands of students also carried placards expressing their grievances.

Most of the placards called for the scrapping of the FCFA 50,000 registration fees and the reinstitution of bursaries.The striking students were in a euphoric mood as they chanted and listened to intermittent addresses by their leader, Mouafo Djontu Robinson, who is President of the Cameroon Students' Rights Association, ADDEC.

Mouafo, who said he was in communication with Fame Ndongo, announced that the Minister was going to listen to the CRTV 1.00 pm with the students at "Jerusalem". (The striking students have christened the area of the campus where they usually gather Jerusalem). He said the Minister had told him that important decisions would be announced during the news.

At about 12.38 pm, Prof Fame Ndongo, arrived at the University campus accompanied by anti-riot police. Prof Fame Ndongo moved around reading the placards of students, who had decided to sit on the ground. Students wailed as a sign of mourning and distress as the Minister moved around reading the placards and talking to those closest to him.

At the same time, the students' leader addressed them from a raised platform, using a public address system.At 1:00 pm, anxiety gripped the crowd as the news jingle blared from loudspeakers.

After the main points, the newscaster announced that the Minister had gone to campus to negotiate with students. As an appeasement measure, the Minister had already handed the keys to toilets and water point to students' delegates. (Lack of toilets and drinking water on campus were some of the immediate causes of the strike).

Instead of the students jubilating, there were deafening shouts of "non… non… non!" Prof Fame Ndongo was visibly stunned.

As the Minister, accompanied by the Rector of the University of Yaounde I and other aides approached the rostrum, the students' leader called for calm. He then intoned the national anthem that thousands of students sang.

Immediately Prof. Fame Ndongo mounted the raised platform, the sky burst open and unleashed a torrential downpour that lasted for more than one hour.

The students' leader tried to shelter the Minister with an umbrella but students jeered. The Minister was then compelled to continue addressing the students under the weeping skies.

Prof Fame Ndongo started by drawing parallels between the name the students had given to their striking corner and the actual Jerusalem. But students were not impressed. "No to demagogy," some yelled. "Go straight to the point," others said.

Fame Ndongo used different tactics to get the students to appreciate any of his proposals. Eventually he received "an important phone call". Students waited with anxiety as Fame Ndongo spoke on his mobile phone. After the call, he said most of the problems of the students would be solved almost immediately.

"Ici, ici," students yelled, meaning that they wanted concrete decisions taken on the spot. With constant booing and catcalls, Fame Ndongo temporarily suspended his attempt to placate the students and ceded the rostrum to Prof Sammy Beban Chumbow.

Students were even more hostile to Prof Chumbow, who had said in an interview broadcast on CRTV that those striking on the university campus were not students. Prof Chumbow, who was in a suit, was equally drenched in the rain. He promised that the problems within the competence of the university administration would be solved immediately.

Fame Ndongo remounted the rostrum and announced that President Paul Biya had just granted a FCFA 2.4 billion subvention to universities. That announcement did not assuage students' anger. "No to 50,000," they chorused.

When Fame Ndongo tried to speak further, students started chorusing, "Echec, échec, échec", meaning the minister's intervention had failed. A visibly disappointed Fame Ndongo left the university campus clothes dripping with water and with a drawn face.

The students continued chanting liberation songs and listened to their leaders after the Minister departed.Speaking to reporters, ADDEC President, Mouafo Djontu, said they would continue with their strike action until their demands are met.

He said a delegation of 30 students would meet the Minister of Higher Education on Friday for discussions.

Comments

[Ngange Nfor Ngala]

This is a measure we should have taken long before now. The condition of my fellow students in Cameroon, is deployable. They cannot afford for their daily necessities, yet have to pay a huge amount of 50.000FCFA in the form of registration fee, meant for the good maintenance of the education infrastructure, which however, is neither available, not to talk of it being maintained. A shame a University, symbolic as being an independence university like the University of yaounde I has not got basic utilities like public toilets, public water sytems, just to name a few. Why then pay 50.000FCFA. The subvention of the President is an effort, appreciated, but that is not what the student body is asking for. That is a temporary measure, but what the students need is a permanent establishment of rules to ameliorate their conditions. No to registration fees, if basic necessities cannot be provided, and the bursary system should be reinstated. these are measure equally good for the government as it will booster education in Cameroon.
Though it is said one thing at a time, the next demand shall be for the institution of postgraduate studies in all fields of study, and creation of research institutes, and an annualy journal publication, so that our lecturers can refine the notes they prepared while they were doing their bachelors. We should run with present environment. It does not give a good image of my beloved nation if I have to travel to Germany to do a research, something which could be done with pride in Cameroon, if the research institutes were there. Our education sector should be considered like seeds for the admistration of tommorow's Cameroon that would have stronger roots to be able to dance to the tune of globalisation and face the challenges thereof.

[Enow, Denmark]

"Fame Ndongo remounted the rostrum and announced that President Paul Biya had just granted a FCFA 2.4 billion subvention to universities".This is absurd! Is "President Paul biya" a financial organisation or head of a government. Cameroonians should learn to use the phrase "The government" instead of "president paul biya".

[LILy]

Courage to the Casmerooniain students !!!!Why should we have the resources and Suffer .You guys are only standing up for your rights ,but please donnot destroy any valuable things because it's going to take another decade for the government to replace,just like the toilets and we will be the ones to suffer .
Courage!!!!!!!

[Labelle]

Courage,to you all.It is rather sad the in Cameroon something really has to be done.I think we have reach the limit.Why all the suffer when the resources are avalable,forcing young Cameroonians to find their way out of the country like refugees because of the mismanagement of resources.We love our country and will like to study there,please Mr minister it is time you do something.

[Didi]

My good friends. The road is long. be courageous to withstand attempts at dividing your group. Mr. Biya is good at that.

[sango]

Ngange, this is shameful, u call 50,000 frs a huge fee for university studies? It is not an right to go to the university, if u can't afford it then don't go to the university. U go to university because u're hoping that when u get done, u'll probably get a better job than someone who has A'levels. I don't know what the premuim for a high school graduate compared to that of a first degree holder in cameroon is but I would guess it will be more than 50,000 per year, besides, if u look at the long term, more than three years u'll be working in your lifetime, then it certainly dwarfs the 50,000. If the students are striking to so teachers do not take bribes or for toilets etc, then they have a point, in my opinion, but striking to remove fees is just rediculous. I went to UB and I was previleged to study abroad after that to the highest level, students in univeristies in cameroon, I daresay get a better education than what they pay for (50,000) per year. The students should pick their books up and go back to class. They're a disgrace to the intelectual community.
sango

[sango]

Ngange, this is shameful, u call 50,000 frs a huge fee for university studies? It is not an right to go to the university, if u can't afford it then don't go to the university. U go to university because u're hoping that when u get done, u'll probably get a better job than someone who has A'levels. I don't know what the premuim for a high school graduate compared to that of a first degree holder in cameroon is but I would guess it will be more than 50,000 per year, besides, if u look at the long term, more than three years u'll be working in your lifetime, then it certainly dwarfs the 50,000. If the students are striking to so teachers do not take bribes or for toilets etc, then they have a point, in my opinion, but striking to remove fees is just rediculous. I went to UB and I was previleged to study abroad after that to the highest level, students in univeristies in cameroon, I daresay get a better education than what they pay for (50,000) per year. The students should pick their books up and go back to class. They're a disgrace to the intelectual community.
sango

[vic]

Let Minister Fame Ndongo and the Rector of UNIYAO 1 RESIGN!!!!

[Divine,Sweden]

It is hard to believe that Cameroon can be so rich that immediate subsidies can be given to students worth 2.4 billion in an attempt to quench strike.
I believe that even the striking students are aware that their problems can not be solved immediately, because it is supposed to takle sometime for the buget to be voted for them. It would appear the presidency is now keeping people´s money to an extend that they can dish out what ever they want at all times. I would suggest the cameroonian people question the source of the pledge made to the students.
This also means that the money is availabe and so students sholud also have areasonable share fo the butty. After all we have been hearing of 4% economic growth in the days of Musonge, and probable the "great ambitions" will produce even 10%.
Courage " les gars"

[Ngange]

Hi Sango,
Maybe your father was a public servant or something, but know that the majority of students out there are children of farmers, who cannot afford to eat. 50,000 is nothing, when compared to what you "would have" have afterwards, and when compared to European education, but we are Cameroonians and should be realistic. If considered an investment, how many people, after graduation, ever get jobs out there. Go back home with your investment in education, if you will still think you invested any 50,000. And, maybe you did not get it well, the 50,000 is for a purpose, yet, the purpose is not realised. So no need paying it. Public education in Cameroon is tuition free, only aregistration fee to keep the infrastructure, but these go to feed those who have access to it, and the basic infrastructure finally is never there.

[Ngange]

And, please, Sango, next time, post your comment once, so as not to fill up space with same thing.