A group of young PhD holders from the North region of Cameroon are expressing their discontent with what they perceive as a lack of support from their region's elites regarding recruitment at the University of Garoua. They denounce the silence of deputies, senators, traditional and municipal authorities in the face of a situation where, according to them, the North region is systematically disadvantaged during assistant recruitment at this university.
These unemployed graduates claim that positions at the University of Garoua are mainly awarded to candidates from other regions. They cite the example of the latest special recruitment in the universities of Bertoua, Ebolowa and Garoua, where the Adamaoua and Far North regions allegedly obtained more positions than the North, despite the presence of young people from the North who are "qualified, competent and legitimate".
They are calling on the elites of the North, urging them to defend the interests of the region and not to condone the marginalization of local youth within the University of Garoua. They believe that the intervention of the elites could positively influence recruitment decisions, ensuring better representation of young people from the North.
The outraged PhD holders are calling for a "collective awakening" and are asking the elites to use their influence to guarantee respect for the principle of equity in recruitment at the University of Garoua. They highlight a recurring problem in regions hosting university institutions, where local populations sometimes feel they have a right to priority in employment.
In March 2023, the University of Garoua launched a call for applications for the recruitment of 45 teachers. In February 2024, the Cameroonian government announced the recruitment of 150 teachers per year until 2025 for the universities of Bertoua, Ebolowa and Garoua.
The issue of the fair distribution of positions and the consideration of local skills remains a major challenge for the University of Garoua, as it does for other higher education institutions in Cameroon.
