Society

At ordinary session in Y'de: Minister tasks varsity heads to align curricula with contemporary needs.

by Desmond Mbua
12 Mar 2025 19:30
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Participants and officials after session

The Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education, and Chancellor of Academic Orders, Prof Jacques Fame Ndongo, has challenged university heads in the Central African Sub-region to align curricula with modern needs of the society.
He made the call while presiding over the 10th Ordinary Session of the Conference of Rectors of Universities and Heads of Research Organisations in Central Africa, dubbed CRUROR-AC.

The session, held at the Yaounde Conference Centre, brought together key stakeholders from across the Central African Subregion.

It was graced by the presence of members of the government of Cameroon , the President of the CEMAC Commission, representatives of regional offices of international organisations, university rectors, and officials from ministries overseeing education, training, research, and innovation.

This year’s session was hosted by the University of Yaounde I. It was organised under the theme: "Vocational Training and Socio-Economic Development in Central Africa: Challenges and Opportunities for Regional Integration".

In his opening remarks, Minister Fame Ndongo expressed profound gratitude to President Paul Biya, for his unwavering commitment to strengthening regional integration within CEMAC and for his continued support of Cameroon’s higher education system.

He also extended appreciation to the Prime Minister, Head of Government, before welcoming participants to Cameroon, renowned for its legendary hospitality.

The minister emphasised that vocational training is a crucial pillar of economic, social, and cultural development in the region.

He urged university leaders and research institutions to rethink academic curricula to ensure that educational programs align with real-world needs and regional development goals.

"Dear members of CRUROR-AC, you must reflect more on academic and heuristic curricula, adopting paradigms that consider all determining factors for training programs that match our realities," he advised.

Highlighting the synergy between education and economic growth, Professor Fame Ndongo introduced a formula: SS+SP=E Savoir-Savant+Savoir-Professionnel =Efficacité, meaning academic knowledge plus professional skills equals efficiency.

This, he explained, encapsulates the essence of socio-economic development, linking vocational training to high-quality learning experiences.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3388 of Monday March 10, 2025