WHAT CONSERVATION EDUCATION REPRESENTS TO CAMEROON 1by | 20-10-2014 14:14 |
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WHAT CONSERVATION EDUCATION REPRESENTS TO CAMEROON 1 13 Universities 20+ NGOs and 3 Ministries power conservation Education in Cameroon  Pupils studying different kinds of animal species at the Limbe Wild Life Centre credit Limbe Wild Life Centre BY Israel Bionyi From all indications Education in Cameroon is the most valuable tool which promotes growth and development. The most recent UNDP Human Development Indicator (HDI) for 2013 together with the Worlds Bank?s country report 2013 indicates Cameroon has reached 111% in her primary school education. This explains why more than 78% of the 23 Million people are considered educated. Having education is one thing and having conservation knowledge is another. CIFOR (Center for International Forestry Research) discovered that in 41 REED+ Projects in Asia, Africa and the South America, 1500 jobs were created but 80% of Applicants were not qualified. This observation was made in an E-debate organized by CIFOR at the Forest Summit in Asia, May 2014. Many people go to schools obtain generic diplomats with less interest on Conservation studies. Among the 5000-10 000 graduates that leave Cameroonian Universities every year less than 5% of them come out with a qualification in conservation. There are 38 Universities in Cameroon amongst which 8 states owned Universities. According to recent classifications from 4international College and Universities, (Online portal for graduates an youths) The state Universities figure among the best (University of Dschang, University of Yaounde II Soa,University of Douala, University of Yaounde I, University of Ngaoundere, University of Maroua, Universityof Buea and University of Bamenda). All state Universities in Cameroon have either a school or a department of science which usher?s environmental and conservation studies. The most popular programmes in all the state universities include: Animal Biology, Zoology, Biochemistry, Environmental studies, microbiology and earth science. The University of Bamenda has a more structured programme on environmental studies which goes right deep into touching specific areas such as tropical fisheries, mammalian ecology, Wildlife Habitat Management and Avian Ecology. State Universities retain between 40 to 80 students per programme each yeah. The lecturers are either recruited by the Ministry of Higher Education or The Universities themselves. More than 70% of lecturers at the State Universities are recruited by the state. In most of the cases the Minister of Higher Education often launch an open recruitment and seek for proposals from the University. For Private Education, there are 30 private Universities in Cameroon with the most popular being catholic and protestant Universities. 5 out of 30 private universities offer environmental or conservation studies they include: The Higher Institute of Environmental Sciences (HIES) Pan African University of West Africa-Environment and agricultural development (MSc) Catholic University of Central Africa-Geography and Environmental Studies Bamenda University of Science and Technology-Agronomy and Soil Science and Animal Science and Environment and Rural Development Foundation (ERUDEF)-Environmental programme. HIES and ERUDEF go as far as offering studies in conservation policy and Conservations communications the Institutes also involve in youth trainings and sensitization in schools. |
