Some Cameroonian Ph.D. students regularly complain about how some lecturers supervise their work. Many people think they tend to exaggerate, however...

At the University of Douala, for example, Kpwang K. Robert, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Coordinator of Doctorate department of Humanities, Literature and Communication, signed on 3 February 2020, a communiqué confirming the students’ claims. 

The Dean informed the supervising professors of his institution that students whose theses and dissertations received a Pass grade could not move to a higher level, even in exchange for any form of payment. 

This measure, explained the dean, aims to protect the interests of P.h.D students, promote excellence and put an end to “the irresponsibility and commercialism of some supervising professors.”

According to Kpwang K. Robert, some professors neglect students and do not read their work at all, yet rush to give them good marks enabling them to move up to another level. These shady lecturers collect corresponding fees for tutoring the students.

Sylvain Andzongo