UB lecturers start another week-long strike today

The University of Buea, UB, chapter of the National Syndicate of Teachers of Higher Education, SYNES, has hinted that they would as from Monday, November 24, embark on a week-long strike action in response to complaints from some members of the syndicate who have not been paid their research and modernization grants.

The lecturers took the decision to stage another week long protest if all lecturers do not receive the grants by Monday November 24, during a close to three hour behind closed doors meeting last Wednesday on the campus of the university.

During the meeting, the varsity dons took a firm commitment to vacate lecture halls again if their grievances are not addressed. “Until all the lecturers confirm having received the grants into their accounts, we cannot say that the grants have been paid. As long as one lecturer continues to complain about the non payment of the grant, it means we have not received the money. There is a high degree of lies telling in Cameroon,” one of the lecturers complained.

They also expressed frustration at the despicable treatment often meted on lecturers of higher institutions in the country. Recently, the higher education minister reportedly signed a decree authorizing the payment of research and modernization grants to lecturers. Most of the lecturers however complained they have not received the said grants in their accounts.

Apart from the research and modernization grants to lecturers, other issues the varsity dons plan to raise through the industrial action include the violation of the text that requires the election of administrators into Cameroon’s Anglo-Saxon universities.

At the meeting that had in attendance top members of the UB chapter of SYNES, it was agreed that other chapters of the syndicate shall be informed of the planned protest so as to ensure that the protest receives a national scope.

Though the lecturers agreed to shun all publicity of the industrial action, The Guardian Post gathered that lecturers who fail to adhere to the call shall have their names submitted to the disciplinary committee of the syndicate and necessary action taken against them. “We will publish the names of lecturers who fail to comply and lecturers who don’t participate in the syndicate’s activities shall be treated according to the rules of the syndicate,” one of the lecturers warned.

The lecturers had reportedly dispatched a delegation to hold talks with the higher education minister regarding the payment of the grants and other problems affecting the lecturers particularly in the University of Buea. A meeting with the minister of finance is equally reported to have yielded no fruits as no lasting solution was arrived at during the meeting.

“We no longer have any business with the finance minister. Our business now is with the higher education minister who is the chancellor of the university. We want him to understand the plight of lecturers of the eight state universities in Cameroon. We want it to be known that Buea can always take the bold step,” the lecturers disclosed during the meeting.

It is been barely a week since lecturers of the university suspended a week long warning strike sparked off by the non payment of the research and modernization grants.

When this reporter visited the campus of the university last Tuesday, students had barely begun their continuous assessment tests; most of whom complained of having had less than three weeks of effective lectures prior to the test.

According to the official calendar of the University of Buea, first semester examinations in the university are expected to begin in the month of February 2015. All lecturers accosted turned down our invitation to make a press statement on the issue.