Competitive Exams : How To Succeed Without Connection

It is that period of the year when many young Cameroonians are preparing for competitive entrance examination into different public higher institutes of learning such as the Higher Teachers Training Colleges, National School of Administration and Magistracy (ENAM) and National Advanced School of Engineering, Post and Telecommunications amongst others.  As they all organise themselves into different learning and teaching groups, one thing is clear; they are not sure to succeed in these examinations by just studying hard. That is why some families and candidates are coming up with different ideas and admission routes to make sure they gain a place into these higher institutions, a gateway into the public service of the country. However, the story is different and true for those who study hard and put their trust in God for a sounding success without bribery or connection. 
No matter how much individuals will seek unorthodox means to have their way into public higher institutions, with the desperate need to succeed in any competitive examination, the truth is that there are lots of candidates who succeed by studying hard. However, such individuals with genuine results at the end represent a minimal portion of the final results due to realities that cannot be ignored or avoided because of the stakes at hand. With the policy of regional representation  

many candidates are coming up with very weird ideas as they think studying is not enough to succeed into the public service of the country. There is the current need to contact people whom they think can guarantee their admission into such schools. That is why the telephone lines of certain authorities have not stopped ringing since certain competitive examinations were launched. Such calls, it is said begins with greetings and self introduction from the caller. Before the receiver could figure out who is calling, the caller starts narrating his/her self pity story and ends with the child who has registered for a competitive examination and needs help.  While some of such authorities have chosen not to pick calls from numbers they do not recognise, others (particularly those who head such institutions) have changed their mobile numbers for the moment, just to have peace from desperate candidates.
The situation has transformed the gates and verandas of some personalities into waiting rooms for those seeking admissions into higher institutions. This time around, it is not strange to see a delegation of family members from the village, heading to Yaounde to see “one big man” who has to ensure the admission of their child or children into one of the public schools in the country. Such visitors are usually seen in front of the said authority’s gate by 6:00 a.m. waiting to be received. There are families who are into fund raising at the moment, just to bribe a place for their child. While others claim to have connections that will directly guarantee their place into such schools, others pass through networks with agreement that if their person is not admitted, their money be refunded. Such transactions have landed some people into trouble. 

Whatever routes people think they can gain admission into higher schools of learning, studying hard it must be emphasised, remains the one and only means, with God at the centre.