Walter wilson Nana
Buea, Cameron.
The University of Buea, UB, is setting the tone for the 2013/2014 academic year. A critical stopover for the preparations is the holding of the Council of UB, which held its 29th meeting, Friday, October 11 2013 at the Board Room of the Faculty of Science. At the close of the five-hour in camera session, UB’s Vice Chancellor granted this exclusive interview to Icameroon.com. Amongst some of the issues raised, Dr. Nalova Lyonga, UB’s boss, talks about the atmosphere reigning in the campus now, new grounds broken by UB students in research and acquisition of grants and the goodness in the online registration that UB started and it is now copied by other universities in Cameroon.
Dr. Blaise Mukoko (L) and Prof Victor Julius Ngoh deputy Vice Chancellors UB at the Council meeting
What were the highlights of the 29th meeting of the Council of the University of Buea?
The highlight of the meeting had to do with the budget. We had a draft budget we had to look at, the Vice Chancellor’s report, which enabled members of the Council to know what has been happening in the University of Buea, UB.
What is the budget for the 2013/2014 academic year for UB?
We decided that we need to do a little bit of work on the budget since we do not know what the vote for the budget will be. We are working on it and we are going to invite specialists who can help us do it in a way commensurate with the structure of the budget that is accepted now.
Dr Nalova Lyonga VC at the start of the UB Council meeting
Give us the kernel of the Vice Chancellor’s report.
It touched on many aspects of UB; we remembered the six colleagues who had died within the last Council and this one, we recalled the violence that submerged this institution, beginning from February 2013. It is a period that we will not like to recall, the events are gruesome, especially if we had to recall some of the lessons. We hope that what has happened in UB, which we consider the worst thing that has happened on any campus, where students turn themselves into attackers, will never happen again. It was our intention to show that there is law in Cameroon. And the authorities of the Region had a master role handling the events, to make sure that law is restored in UB and the coming back of orderly action, So that we do not have jungle justice in this institution.
(L-R) Dr. Kimbi Prof. Simon Efange at the UB Council Session.
We thank everybody who contributed in ensuring that we had peace on the UB campus; especially the Pro-Chancellor, Prof. Maurice Tchuente. He is a marvelous man, who believes in unity. He has done so much for UB, apart from brokering peace on campus during the turbulent times. I thanked all the other colleagues, who worked hard on the justice and peace commission that we set up, to enable lecturers speak their mind, the Governor of the Southwest Region, the police and the judiciary department, who made it possible for us to draw the line between lawlessness and a civilized society.
What are you telling the new students you have just admitted for the 2013/2014 academic year?
As we have been saying during orientation at some of the faculties already, we have to insist on discipline. UB is at a higher degree of research achievements. What is going on now is so important. Our outreach with the community is so important.
Prof. Maurice Tchuente, Pro-Chancellor of UB in his opening remarks at the UB 29th Council meeting
We want peace. And that is what the students should know. My report also showed students who have won grants. I showed the Google Student Ambassador and the Google Student Group Manager, both UB students who will be living for the USA tomorrow (Saturday, October 12 2013). This is important. We are making efforts to make our students win grants. That is how UB is growing. We are at a level where we are setting the pace and we will not mind when others imitate us as they have done. When it comes to the online registration, everybody is now imitating us in Cameroon. Some people think nothing is happening but so much is happening. We are happy that our new students and returning students are coming in and touching base with technology, even if they themselves did not do it. When they see people who do it, they become close to it. We are happy.
(L-R) Prof Theresia Akenji, Prof Martha Tumnde, Dr Joseph Suh all UB Faculty officials at the 29th Council meeting
How many students have you admitted for the new school year 2013/2014?
We will admit a little above five thousand students. Already, we have admitted 3,900. The second list which will come out in the days ahead will have about 2,000 students.
What goodness is the online registration bringing to UB?
The fantastic thing is that we do not have money. And this is what we need. We are saving about ninety percent of our time, so that teachers have the time to prepare their lectures, instead of doing the drudgery of sitting face-to-face with students and doing registration. We also have the economies of scale; people do not have to print admission letters for students. Imagine if we had to print all the admission letters for students. It will be so much paper, ink and more. Those are the benefits. Each student prints his or her admission letter, right there on the UB website and brings it to the admissions office for verification.
Where are we with the construction of new lodging sites for students?
For this academic year, lodging remains the same. The project to build five thousand bed-hostel for students is about to take off. The Chinese construction company doing the job was in UB last week to start planning for the construction. They have seen the site and very soon, their equipment will be coming into Buea.
