EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND THE CHALLENGES TO QUALITY EDUCATION IN CAMEROON FROM 1989 TO 2009: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Willibroad Dze-Ngwa (PhD) - Lecturer/ Researcher, Department of History - The University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon
Email: dzewing@yahoo.com
Tel: (237) 77 65 93 65 / (237) 22 07 99 90
Résumé
For the past two decades, ERNWACA has been very keen at enhancing the policies and practices of the various stakeholders interested in the advancement of educational research within its member states in particular and throughout Africa. This has been done through training of trainers’ seminars, training of young researchers on social science research methods, funding and publishing research findings among other things. In the same vein, many national institutes and research centers like the National Center for Education (CNE), under the canopy of Cameroon’s Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovations, and other institutions like CODESRIA, among others, have been involved in similar practices. Consequently, much research work has been funded or carried out with the ultimate desire to better the plight of Africans.
Although much research has been done on burning issues like good governance, peace and conflict studies, effective citizenship, inclusive and quality education, environmental education, new information and communication technologies, gender issues and HIV/AIDS among other things, the impact of such research have been felt faintly in some African states. This has been so because some African leaders, administrators, policy makers and other stakeholders do not consider such research results as important and useful, or fear the impact of the implementation of such results on their current positions; or because researchers themselves fail to do effective research work in the field and misdirect research priorities; or do not adequately sensitize the various stakeholders on research results; or simply lock-up such results in their cupboards. This has greatly stifled research, research impact and development in much of Africa.
Whatever the case, effective research and adequate dissemination of research results to the targeted users, remain indispensable in moving Africa forward out of its vicious cycle of hunger, poverty, corruption, diseases and conflicts. But then, what has been the impact of ERWACA funded educational research projects in Cameroon in particular? What have been the challenges of ERNWACA researchers in Cameroon? What are the prospects of effective dissemination of research results? What should be done to ensure that educational research results are implemented beyond national boundaries by the various stakeholders? My contribution in the colloquium will attempt to answer the above questions and more.
Key words: Educational Research, Quality education and Cameroon
