By DOH JAMES SONKEY
The Interim Secretary General of the Ministry of Higher Education, Prof Wilfred Gabsa has vehemently debunked rumours propagated on social media claiming that due to the social political unrest in the North West and South West Regions, the Minister of Higher Education has cancelled the academic calendar for 2017/2018 in both public and private higher institutions of learning in the country.
Speaking in an exclusive chat with The SUN, Prof Gabsa described as “baseless and unfounded such rumours propagated by unscrupulous individuals to derail the higher education family. It is a big lie and there is no way that the academic year can be cancelled. It has no also been postponed as some people claim. The 2017/2018 academic released by the Minister of Higher Education and Chancellor of Academic Orders, Prof Jacques Fame Ndongo programmed the start for last September 26, 2017.”
The Interim Secretary General while calling on students and the entire higher education family to remain vigilant and to always consult the website of the Ministry of Higher Education on www.minesup.gov.cm for any official information reassured that “all higher education institutions functioning under the mentorship of state universities are taking every action for a smooth start of the 2017/2018 academic year. As we speak, all these schools have started registration for both old and new students. Even the universities of Buea and Bamenda where the academic calendar was slightly modified to help students catch up with time lost during the socio-political unrest the two regions, have already launched registration as well.”
He used the occasion to pass across this message to students “a lot of studies are being transformed into universities and other higher institutions of learning to equip students with tools that suits the job market. A national school of engineering has just been created in the University of Maroua etc.”
Prof Gabsa advised that “it is important for every student who wishes to register in any private higher institution of learning to first of all visit the official website of the ministry to verify if that school has the appropriate accreditation needed to offer the course solicited in order to avoid a situation where after paying huge sums of money as fees, the certificates are not recognized.”