1. INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM ON THE EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH ON POLICY AND PRACTICE
IN AFRICA, BAMAKO, 15TH – 17TH DECEMBER 2009
EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND THE CHALLENGES TO QUALITY EDUCATION IN CAMEROON FROM
1989 TO 2009: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
By
Willibroad Dze-Ngwa
Email: dzewing@yahoo.com
1 The Cameroon Government and Educational II - ERNWACA-CAMEROON Collaboration
Research At ERNWACA’s 20th Anniversary, the
- 1974, creation of the National Office for Scientific network can boost of
Research and Technology (ONAREST) under the - Hosting the mid-term evaluation of the project on
Ministry of Regional Development. EFA in 1995.
- 1976, creation of five research institutes ONE AFRICA - ERNWACA funded the pioneer project on the
integration of ICTs in West and Central Africa;
- 1979, research placed directly under the Prime EFFECTIVE RESEARCH - The perception ICTs in state-owned higher
Ministry.
- From 1984, research was integrated into the SUSTAINABLE institutions of learning in Cameroon;
- HIV/AIDS and its impact on teachers and teaching;
Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific
Research, DEVLOPMENT - Good governance through the evaluation of the
effectiveness of decentralization in the water,
- In 1992, a separate Ministry of Scientific Research
and Technology was created. education and health sectors;
Between 1986 and 1996, “the research programmes - informal education and the prevention of
which depended on national funds were stopped HIV/AIDS;
because of the economic crisis - he PANAF project on the evaluation of the level of
school involvement in the use of ICTs in Cameroon.
- Between 2002 and 2009, the Republic of
Cameroon had six projects funded by the
III - Impact of Collaboration ERNWACA Small Grant Programme for
- Young researchers were trained on social science research methods Interdisciplinary Education Research.
and scientific writing
- Establishment of networks for young researchers of member states
- The Higher Teacher Training College and the National Centre for
Education (CNE) benefited from some research results. IV – Hindrances to Government and ERNWACA-funded Research
- Establishment of collaboration between young and senior researchers Projects in Cameroon
and strengthening their capacities. a) Limitations to Government-Funded Research
- Scientific write and publishing was enhanced - Different ministerial departments are not interested in research since it is
- Researchers were sponsored to present research results at international not in their priority list during budgeting
conferences. - The economic crisis in the mid-1980s caused government to reduce
- Senior researchers benefited from training of trainers programmes spending on research. During this time the government closed down
- Joint publication of books was encouraged between young and senior research institutes.
researchers. - Many researchers started doing research just to publish and get academic
promotions or for survival.
- Inadequate government collaboration with researchers and donors, hence,
duplication of funding and research.
V - The Way Forward towards Effective Development Research - Rivalry between academic researchers and policy researchers.
- There is need for effective collaboration through official - Near lack of facilities for scientific publishing to encourage dissemination
conventions between ERNWACA, national governments, researchers of research results.
and other stakeholders. - No national syndicate to protect research and researchers.
- National syndicates of researchers should be put in place to regulate - Inadequate funding of national projects and dependence on the state
social science development research. budget with very limited alternative means of fund-raising.
- An African synergy for development research made up of all - Government reluctance to implement research results in general.
national syndicates should be set up with advocacy carried to the
level of the African Union. b) Limitations to ERNWACA-Funded Projects
- Facilities for scientific publishing should be provided to all state - No official convention between ERNWACA-Regional office and the
universities and research centres. Cameroon government to enhance collaboration.
- Adequate funding should be provided for effective research. - No strong advocacy procedure, hence, ERNWACA activities are not
- ERNWACA should network with other funding bodies and national popular at the national level.
governments to strictly follow up the implementation of research - Ineffective and mediocre dissemination of research results.
results. - Inadequate control and follow-up by ERNWACA of the young
- ERNWACA should encourage laureates of funded projects to researchers after research results have been published.
permanently network and carry out joint cross-border projects which - Inadequate collaboration between ERNWACA and other foreign donors.
should benefit the entire continent. - Inadequate funding for projects, especially, funding for the SMALL
- The governments of ERNWACA member states in particular and GRANTS.
African governments in general should provide reasonable budgets - ERNWACA national office is too dependent on the Regional office for
for research and guarantee the transparent use of such budgets. the dissemination of research results.
- ERNWACA member states and other African governments should ERNWACA has not empowered the national offices with facilities for
be more proactive and implement well-meaning research results. publishing.
- The government of Cameroon through the Ministry of Scientific
Research and Innovations should be able to monitor externally
funded research projects in order to formulate new areas for national
Adequate
funding. Effective Quality
- Again, before any research work is carried out by this ministerial Development dissermination
education
department, strategies of implementing of research results should research
already be put in place.
- The state should avoid voting state budgets yearly for research
whose results may never be used, or when such results may not Cycle of research collaboration
impact on government policy.
Sustainable Reduction of
development Low rate of diseases, hunger
conflicts and poverty