Professionalisation of Higher Education and Graduates’ Employability in State Universities in Cameroon

Abstract

The study centered on the professionalisation of Higher Education and graduates’ employability in State Universities in Cameroon. The study aimed to sought responses for two objectives which were: To examine the extent to curriculum content of programmes and infrastructural resources, affect graduates’ acquisition of employability skills. The study was guided by two hypotheses. The survey research design using qualitative and quantitative approaches was adopted for the study. Data were collected from 361 graduates, 385 final year undergraduate students who were rounding up with their degree programme and 56 academic staff in the Universities of Buea and Bamenda. Questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide were the instruments used for the study. The reliability statistics for graduates and final year undergraduate students from the University of Buea were 0.876 and 0.827, respectively while that for graduates and final year undergraduate students from the Universities of Bamenda were 0.871 and 0.894. Data from close ended questions were analysed using SPSS 23.0, with the aid of descriptive and inferential statistical tools while open ended questions were analysed thematically. Findings revealed that curriculum content (r-value = 0.760**, p-value = 0.000) and infrastructural resources (r-value = 0.782**, p-value = 0.000) have a strong, positive and significant effect on graduates’ acquisition of employability skills. Despite these significant and positive effects, a significant proportion of graduates, final year undergraduate students and academic staff showed the infrastructural resources are inadequate and curriculum not professionally oriented. Therefore, it was generally recommended that adequate measures should be implemented to improve curriculum contents and on infrastructural resources for effective professionalisation of programmes in State Universities to enhance graduates’ acquisition of employability skills while internships, practicum and field work be intensified.