University of Yaounde I: Delegates to Curb Pre-Registration Scams

The pre-registration process has long been plagued by scams and extortion. New students, already overwhelmed, were often targeted by unidentified individuals offering “assistance” during the process. Kristel Fouda, a student at the Faculty of Science of Education, shared her experience as she remembered that as soon as she arrived at the entrance, they rushed to her, offering help with pre-registration form, pulling her out of the taxi and dragging her to their stand. Claude Abena, another student, recalled a similar experience where last year, someone approached him and offered to help, but he finally paid 2,500 FCFA for a service that should have been free or at most 500 FCFA.

Complaints were reported to the administration, and to curb this scam, the Rector Remy Magloire Etoua deployed delegates from departments since September 8. The delegates are easily recognizable, wearing badges and green or pink vests with a serene facial expression. Their booths are deployed at both entrances of the campus: “Cité U” and “Château,” each representing either the Faculty of Science, Science of Education, or the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. They are tasked with guiding new students through the necessary documentation and preventing them from filling forms incorrectly, spending unnecessarily, and choosing the best faculty that fits with their school bulletins. Boris Ngodbo, delegate in charge of the Faculty of Science of Education booth, confirmed that up to now, some s...