Higher Education Objectives Impact towards the Attainment of Cameroon’s Vision 2035 with Respect to Poverty Alleviation, and National Unity and Consolidation of Democracy

Abstract

Higher Education in the Cameroon context is assigned a basic mission of producing, Organizing and disseminating scientific, cultural, professional and ethical knowledge for development purposes. This study aimed at investigating the extent to which the Implementation of Higher Education Objectives (HEO) predicts the attainment of Cameroon’s Vision 2035. Specifically, the study was: 1) To find out whether the promotion of ethics and national consciousness is effectively facilitating the attainment of Cameroon’s Vision 2035 with respect to poverty alleviation, and national unity and consolidation of democracy; 2) To find out whether the promotion of bilingualism is effectively ensuring the attainment of Cameroon’s Vision 2035 with respect to poverty alleviation, and national unity and consolidation of democracy. The study made use of two hypotheses, which were either accepted or rejected after analysis. The quantitative and qualitative (mixt method) design was used for this study. The population of the study consisted of all the final year students (potential graduates: B.Sc, B.Ed, M.A, M.Sc, M.Ed, Ph.D, and HND etc.) from 14 Higher Institutes of Learning (HIL) in the South West Region of Cameroon. The sample consisted of 370 students chosen at random. 24 teachers were also interviewed. A questionnaire and an interview guide were used for data collection. The questionnaire was validated by 30 students who did not constitute part of the sample. Quantitative data were analyzed using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (statistical tool). Qualitative data were analyzed by using content analysis. The main findings revealed that; the current promotion of ethics and national consciousness is high, hence guarantees the attainment of Cameroon’s Vision 2035 with respect to poverty alleviation, and national unity and consolidation of democracy. On the contrary, the mean for the current promotion of bilingualism was found low as such does not guarantee the attainment of Cameroon’s Vision 2035 with respect to poverty alleviation, and national unity and consolidation of democracy. The researcher concluded that the Implementation of HE Objectives has a direct relationship with the attainment of Cameroon’s Vision 2035 yet some of the objectives are not effectively implemented. Some recommendations were made.