Challenges and Prospects of Assessing Students with Visual Impairments in Public Universities in Cameroon: The Case of the University of Buea
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University Education in Cameroon plays a leading role in training personnel needed for nation building, and especially the attainment of the country’s vision 2035 (attaining economic emergence) and enhancing the attainment of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The university of Buea (UB) like others matriculates students of diverse characteristics, including those with visual impairment who equally have the aptitude to pursue higher learning. The admission of persons with visual impairment (VI) in the university is part of the implementation of inclusive Education ratified by the country at the 1994 Salamanca conference. However, inclusion is not adequately enhanced in some aspects of the teaching/learning process in the university, particularly in the domain of assessment such that students with visual impairment are not adequately accommodated. In this regard, the assessment results of students with VI may not reflect a true picture of their potentials or learning outcomes due to certain impediments. It is in view of addressing the issue that this study was designed to explore “Challenges and Prospects in Assessing Students with Visual Impairments in Public Universities in Cameroon: The Case of the University of Buea”. It uses data obtained from interviews to thematically explore the opinions of students with visual impairments in UB with regards to the challenges they face in assessment, with a sharp focus on challenges emanating from the assessment policy/rules, assessment materials, environmental challenges and challenges with regards to professionals. The study is theoretically supported by the Critical Disability Theory of Hosking and the Field Theory of Kurt Lewin. The study employed the exploratory research design making use of five students with visual impairment purposely selected from the University of Buea. The data was analysed thematically.