Cameroon: GCE Registration software malfunctions, puts thousands of students stranded

The computer software of the popular Cameroon General Certificate of Education board malfunctioned yesterday amidst tension from unregistered students in some schools in Douala.
After 3 postponements of the registration for the 2017 General Certificate Examination, the GCE board was supposed to bank its doors yesterday 20th March 2017 at 2:00pm. Unfortunately, its registration software had closed registration on an earlier date.
Some students, who fled the crisis from their regions to register in English schools in Douala, were unable to do so.

“We are facing difficulties because the software instead of ending at 12:00 midnight breaking Tuesday, it instead ended at 12:00 midnight breaking Monday and for that reason some candidates coming from North West and South west regions, wanting to register could not be registered” says the principal of a private secondary school in Douala.

Registration in most schools has witnessed a great drop in GCE registration compared to last year. The few students who have registered are worried over the situation of their friends in the North and South West who have not registered.
“We are disturbed because some of our friends, brothers and sisters who are in the North West and South West are not going to write with us” says a registered student.

Others praise the lord for the strength to prepare for the GCE amidst disturbing happenings in the 2 Anglophone regions but worried over the fact that their certificates may not be recognized internationally.
“We all are discouraged. It is just by God’s grace that we are still pushing on to read and to prepare for the exams; because majority of the students are in the north west and south west. We don’t even know whether our certificates will be recognized internationally” recounts another registered candidate.

The multi-million dollar question remains: How effective will this year’s GCE be given the upheavals that have characterized the learning year?