Cameroon Concord

Intended to professionalize driver training and serve as an income stream for the university, the initiative has instead drawn sharp national criticism, revealing a deep rift between institutional ambition and public expectations.

A School of Driving in a Nation Off Course?

As the university received five new Codes Rousseau simulators and dozens of cars, images of the launch circulated online and were swiftly met with ridicule. Among the most shared and quoted reactions was from Asong Michael Khumbah, a well-known civic activist and presidential aspirant:

“I don’t understand this country. Instead for the U.B to seek partnerships to teach and build cars, they want to teach people how to drive cars. Misplaced priorities in all.”

His sentiment has been echoed and amplified by frustrated citizens, students, and educators, who view the project as symbolic of an educational system no longer aiming for excellence.

Key Public Reactions

Valery Ikome, commentator and social critic:

“That driving school at the University of Buea will be closed in October 2025. There are private institutions meant for that, for crying out loud. Our educative system is a failure.”

Anonymous Facebook Commenter, shared by TeboPost:

“Very soon U.B will be lecturing on how to ride a motorbike. When you have your degree, you start off riding a bike or driving a taxi. Those are the jobs they want to give my generation.”

Anonymous Youth Activist, in reaction to a viral collage:

“Driving schools are littered all over Cameroon. What’s the essence in a country with no roads, no road signs? A country where people kickstart a car and enter the road—just like that.”

InfoMil Editorial Team, drawing comparisons with UB’s sister university:

“While UB is still content with bottling water and opening a driving school, the University of Bamenda (UBa) is dreaming bigger — securing over 150 billion CFA francs to modernize education for car building, AI, vaccine development, and real-world problem solving. Way to go, UBa!”

Anonymous Graduate, Limbe:

“This isn’t professionalization — it’s regression. I got a first-class degree and sell tomatoes. Now, they’re training the next batch to become Uber drivers?”

University’s Defense: “Professionalization” and Road Safety

UB officials have held firm, claiming the school addresses a critical need for safe and skilled drivers and will issue international licenses. Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof. Michael Ekonde Sone received the equipment on behalf of the university alongside Registrar Eneke Agbor Bechem. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ngomo Horace Manga has insisted this initiative aligns with UB’s goal to diversify academic offerings and professional skills.

The simulators, delivered on May 27, are expected to go live on May 28, offering a “safe, interactive, and modern learning environment,” in partnership with Codes Rousseau of France.

National Comparison: UBa Rises as UB Stalls?

Many commentators have pointed out the stark contrast between UB’s direction and the University of Bamenda (UBa), which just secured a massive 150 billion CFA modernization grant. UBa’s reforms target artificial intelligence, auto engineering, public health tech, and architecture — fields aligned with Cameroon’s Emergence 2035 vision.

As a TeboPost editorial sarcastically noted:

“UBa is becoming the University of the Future, while UB is becoming the University of Taxis.”

Conclusion: A Driving School, A National Wake-Up Call

This isn’t merely about driver education. The backlash stems from a deep-seated frustration with the Cameroonian education system, its relevance, and its ability to inspire hope in a generation facing economic hardship, unemployment, and global competition.

What the University of Buea may see as diversification, many see as degradation — a betrayal of what higher education is supposed to represent: innovation, transformation, and national leadership.

Is Cameroon’s higher education system losing its purpose? Should universities abandon vocational training for high-tech research? Are students right to feel betrayed by institutions meant to empower them? Can UB restore its reputation — or is it time for a fundamental education policy overhaul?