According to a release from the Higher Education Ministry, the disbursement of funds began and is being processed in phases.
The government has started to settle the outstanding academic debt owed to state universities for the period spanning 2000 to 2021. Lecturers at the Universities of Buea, Bamenda, and Maroua are the first to receive the payments. Payments are being made exclusively via bank transfer. The first phase of this exercise covers teaching staff at the three named universities.
The ministry has instructed the beneficiaries of lecturers who are now deceased to report to a specific division in the capital to complete the necessary formalities. Lecturers whose bank details are missing or incorrect have been directed to update this information through their respective university administrations.
The statement further noted that teaching staff at other state universities will be informed in due course as the payment process continues. This development follows repeated grievances and threats of industrial action by university lecturers over the delayed payment of their teaching and research allowances for many years.
This long-waited disbursement follows numerous strikes by lecturers who protested for years over their unpaid allowances. These actions repeatedly disrupted students, directly impacting education and creating instability within the university system.
