Fallout of Anglophone crisis:

Biya creates Polytechnic Institute in West Cameroon

By Njodzefe Nestor

UBa VC and Registrar

President Paul Biya on 24 November 2017 created a National Higher Polytechnic Institute in the University of Bamenda. The institute was created by presidential Decree No 2017/582 of Nov 24, 2017 to amend and supplement some provisions of Decree No. 2011/45 of 8 March 2011 to organize the University of Bamenda, UBa.

                The missions of the institute according to a separate decree signed the same day to lay down the administrative and academic organization of the school is to “provide initial and continuous training as well as research in the fields of engineering and technology, carry out the retraining and further training of professionals in the aforementioned fields and to provide development support, particularly through service sustainable development management”

                By virtue of the decree which amends the provisions of article 49 of the 8 March 2011 decree organizing the University of Bamenda, UBa, the University now has six faculties and six schools.

                Created by Decree No 2010/371 of the 14th December 2010, the University of Bamenda is the last of the eight state Universities in Cameroon. It inherited the structures of the Cameroon College of Arts, Science and Technology CCAST and ENSAB Bambili.

                According to a source at the university, the estimated space available is 699 hectares and enrollment has grown from 5600 students in 2011 to 16,000 in 2016 representing a growing rate of 25 percent per year.

                Since creation, the University has been grappling with lack of infrastructure which has acted as a stumbling block to its effective kick off.                                       Insufficient lecture halls, offices and a very deficient teaching staff is a threat to the quality of teaching and supervision in the university.