Cameroon: 80 unemployed PhD holders to protest alleged bias in university recruitment

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Tensions are rising among unemployed PhD holders in Cameroon as at least 80 doctorate graduates plan to stage a peaceful protest in Yaoundé on February 20, 2025.

Their grievance stems from the recent recruitment of Assistant Lecturers in three state universities—Bertoua, Ebolowa, and Garoua—which they claim was riddled with favoritism, nepotism, and procedural irregularities.

In a formal letter addressed to the Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) of Mfoundi, and which was obtained by Africa Parrot, the group, under the banner of the Collective of Indignant Unemployed PhD Holders of Cameroon, expressed deep dissatisfaction with the selection process.

According to them, the final recruitment list did not reflect merit, as some selected candidates allegedly lacked the required qualifications for their respective positions.

Beyond concerns about unqualified appointments, the collective condemned the inclusion of already employed civil servants, arguing that the recruitment was meant to prioritize jobless PhD holders. They cited President Paul Biya’s directive, which had explicitly instructed that these university openings be reserved for unemployed doctorate holders, not those already in government service.

The group also pointed out what they described as a glaring injustice, where some of the newly recruited lecturers had only just defended their PhDs days before the selection process, while seasoned academics who had been applying for years were left out. They emphasized that many of these overlooked candidates have been actively involved in both public and private universities for four to five years, making their exclusion even more unjust.

Further fueling their frustration is the disappearance of certain advertised positions from the final recruitment list. They claim that specific academic disciplines, for which qualified candidates had applied, were omitted without explanation—a move they believe was intended to manipulate the selection process in favor of certain individuals.

With the peaceful protest now officially declared, the unemployed PhD holders are calling on the government to reconsider the recruitment process and provide additional slots to accommodate those left out. They insist that only a transparent, merit-based approach can restore confidence in Cameroon’s academic hiring system.