CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
by Solange Kibelolo, Congo-Brazza, August 1998
THEME = UNIVERSITIES
The courses offered at the university
and the way in which examinations are held,
leave much to be desired.
Let's take a closer look at what's going
on at the Marien Ngouabi University, Brazzaville
The Marien Ngouabi University used to have a solid reputation for training the country's future leaders - a real centre of excellence. Now it's faced with serious difficulties, to the extent of becoming a hotbed for disorder and disillusionment. What's gone wrong? The university's amenities date from its foundation in the 1960s and nothing seems to have been updated since.
The Bayardelle complex hasn't been repainted for years - its two lecture halls are overflowing with old bench-tables. The university's Faculty of Economics has only room for 600 students, whereas there are more than 3,000 students in residence. And 300 students are crammed into a lecture room meant for 100. Statistics speak for themselves and are certainly not encouraging. Here's what Ella, a first-year student in economics has to say: "I can't study in these miserable conditions. I prefer to give up a year so as to wait for my enrolment in a university in Canada in 1999".
The "libraries" at Marien Ngouabi are just not worth calling libraries - which does nothing to help lecturers and students. There's never any new books, magazines or journals; for example, the most "recent" specialised journal received by the Faculty of Arts and Applied Sciences (FLSH), dates from ten years ago. At a time when the whole world is connected to Internet, the University of Brazzaville is still in the Middle Ages as regards "modern" technology; there's not even a fax! (Truth to say, a similar situation exists in many of Congo- Brazza's administrative services).
There's a serious lack of qualified lecturers. The gaps in most of the Faculties are filled by supply-lecturers. They're so badly paid that their real concerns lie elsewhere. They're quick to accept positions in politics rather than taking up their duties as teachers. One of them, worried about General Sassou Nguesso's return to the capital at the end of January 1997, had virtually given up on his students. "I'm better paid elsewhere" he declared in an attempt to justify his frequent absences from the lecture hall.
The present government is making full use of the university dons, elevating them to the rank of Ministers or Counsellors of State. Obviously, they can't be both teachers and politicians. Also, a number of lecturers have gone into business in a big way, and their students are their prey. It happened that a Professor of English at the FLSH wrote a 20-page Paper on his computer and made his students buy it at a cost of CFA francs 1,000 per copy. He told them: "Those who don't buy this Paper will not be allowed to attend my courses for the rest of the year. And I will not allow photocopies. You buy from me, or else..."
Because of Congo-Brazza's civil war (June-October 1997), there was no way the academic year could be completed. Indeed, it's been a real problem to even chalk up one complete academic year! Some university professors only give women examination passes if they agree to "share their favours" with them (a kind of Middle Ages "Droit du Seigneur" over his serfs). The men must "slip" these same professors anything from CFA francs 25,000 to 30,000.
Once the students have sat for their Bachelor's Degree, they frequently give up their studies. In the Faculty of Science and Communications Techniques (STC), for example, most of the graduate journalists take up voluntary work in the country's only television station or for the radio. The rare souls who are to be found working for private newspapers, don't have a salary. In order to avoid unemployment, others prefer to teach in private schools.
Once the civil war was over, lectures started again, but now a rumour is circulating among the students. It's all to do with the non-validation of the 1996-1997 academic year examinations which had to be re-scheduled to the beginning of 1998 because of the war. Also the fact that UNESCO will not officially recognise the 1997- 1998 academic year. Congo-Brazza's Minister of Higher Education, François Lumwamu, reacted against these decisions in the Catholic weekly La Semaine Africaine published in Brazzaville. He wrote: "Each country's Education Ministry decides on the validity of examinations sat in that country. Each country has its own organised educational system and at the same time, can decide on which qualifications are needed for the good of the country. UNESCO's task is to offer advice and help the various educational systems throughout the world. It is not to take over from individual countries. There are criteria for determining if an academic year has been completed satisfactorily, such as - length of the academic year (usually 25-27 weeks); teaching standards; the syllabus to be followed. To the best of my knowledge, UNESCO has no authority to invalidate or refuse to recognise an academic year which has been organised normally. The examinations at Marien Ngouabi have taken place. Soon the lectures will begin. We have every intention of respecting international norms relating to the smooth running of the academic year, both as regards organising examinations and validating qualifications".
The dethroned government was still owing 44 months of bursaries. Faculty students receive CFA francs 30,000 and Graduate School students CFA francs 25,000. Certainly nowhere near enough for the students to undertake necessary research. Marcel Obaka is studying for a Masters Degree in Public Law. He says: "I get a derisory bursary to cover my research expenses. Books in the library are out-of-date, they've been badly kept, some essential books have been stolen, some have been destroyed or pages are missing - none of which helps me in my work".
After the distress of war passed by, the government paid three months arrears of bursaries. This was a surprising gesture which caused Yvon Bonda, a student union leader to say: "Perhaps now we have people in charge who understand us".
END
CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
PeaceLink 1998 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement