Students have started registering as the authorities express the need for more staff and facilities in the face of new security challenges.

At the University of Bamenda, UBa, the atmosphere is indicative of an institution that is set for the 2015/2016 academic year. A new chapter is about to open for the “University of the future” with the opening of three new faculties (Arts, Law and Political Science, and Economics and Management). Security challenges are equally on the agenda with threats by terrorist staring the nation in the face. The porous nature of the campus makes matters worse.

Against this backdrop, authorities of UBa have envisaged measures to keep the campus safe for learning. The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Tafah Edokat Edward, says surveillance by campus security guards will be stepped up. Students will be sensitized on their own security while landlords, taxi drivers, bar tenders and owners around the campus will have to rise to expectations with measures to intensify and report suspected people.

Meanwhile, on campus, it is a beehive of activities as both lecturers and students rush from one end to the other to ensure effective resumption of classes. While some old students are already paying tuition fees, aspiring students are queuing up to pay registration fees, while others submit different documents in various faculties. Still, other students are busy preparing to write entrance examinations into some of UBa’s schools.

With the creation of three new faculties, UBa is in dire need of more infrastructure as it now has 10 schools and faculties. Talking to Cameroon Tribune, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Internal Control and Evaluation (DVC-ICE), Prof. Dashaco John Tambutoh, explained that admission into the various schools and faculties is either through competitive examinations or study of files. He said while some students are still compiling documents, others have begun sitting various admission examinations. He revealed that before now, only seven schools and faculties were operational.

But this academic year, 10 schools and faculties will go operational. They are the Higher Teachers’ Training College, HTTC, Higher Technical Teachers’ Training College, HTTTC and the Higher Institute of Commence and Management, HICM. Others are the College of Technology, COLTECH, Higher Institute of Tourism and Logistics, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, and the most recent, the Faculties of Arts, Economics and Management, Law and Political Science.

Prof. Dashaco expressed the dire need for infrastructure and academic and support staff. He said with the creation of three new faculties, there is need for more classrooms, lecturers, laboratories and equipped workshops. He commended government for the support so far received, but asked for more financial assistance to enable UBa to pay support staff and part-time lecturers. Meanwhile, the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Information and Communication Technology, DVC-ICT, Prof. Victor Julius Ngoh, emphasizes that the social welfare of both lecturers and students should be improved and the library equipped. He joined Prof. Dashaco in asking for more facilities and staff.