Covid-19: Higher Education stakeholders setup preventive measures

Stakeholders of Cameroon’s higher education sector have mapped out a keen roadmap for the implementation of the strategy prescribed by the government to prevent the spread of the corona virus in the school milieu.

In a meeting chaired by the Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education Jacques Fame Ndongo, he reviewed the issues and challenges that the pandemic poses to higher education.

He insisted on the urgency of an appropriate and concerted response for the continuation of the 2019/2020 academic year while respecting the requirements of quality assurance,  professionalisation of training, employability of graduates and distant learning.

The Minister of State gave the floor to heads of university institutes for an update on measures taken or envisaged response in their respective institutions.

Covid-19: Measures Prescribed by Minister of Higher Education

The Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education Jacques Fame Ndongo prescribed the following measures to the heads of public, private and international higher institutes in Cameroon.

He urged the mobilisation of information and communication technologies to continue online training activities thanks to the digital tools available to students at the educational level.

In terms of work linked training, activities continue in the receiving professional structures according to the procedures prescribed by the establishments concerned.

As for university research, it will be limited to essential activities in compliance with government regulations on the regrouping of people in order to avoid a blank academic year.

Regarding the reorganisation of the 2020 examinations and competitive entrance examinations, the calendar as well as the 2019/2020 academic year calendar shall be reorganised.

Sports, cultural and civic activities planned for 2020, notably the University Games, FETUC, FETUNEC, the University Academic and Orientation Fair are postponed to 2021.

As regards preventive health measures, the decision was made to suspend all activities open to the public.

It was also recommended that awareness raising methods be intensified within the university community through the classical and digital media as well as through posters and direct communication.

Bruno Ndonwie Funwie