Remuneration Policy and Intention to Leave Among Teachers in the Private Higher Education Sector in Cameroon

ABSTRACT: In a context of increased liberalization of the sector and saturation of public universities, the quality of private higher education largely depends on the stability and commitment of the teaching staff. Yet this staff faces structural salary insecurity. Hence the question of how the absence of apolicyclearDoes remuneration influence interest ? Note to start from teachers in private higher educationin Cameroon ? The objective of this study is therefore clearly toThis study analyzes the impact of compensation policy structuring on the retention of teaching staff in private higher education institutions (IPES) in Cameroon. The initial hypothesis, inspired by Neveu's multidimensional model (1993-1996), is that the absence of a clear and equitable compensation policy acts as a demotivating factor, significantly increasing the intention to leave the institution among private higher education teachers in Cameroon. Adopting an interpretive and phenomenological qualitative approach, the research is based on 16 semi-structured interviews and two focus groups (n = 28 teachers) conducted in Yaoundé, Douala, and Bafoussam between January and February 2026. The inductive thematic analysis, assisted by NVivo, reveals a near-unanimous perception of opacity and arbitrariness in compensation management: the absence of a known salary scale, objective criteria (seniority, qualifications, performance), and an applicable collective bargaining agreement. This situation generates a chronic feeling of distributive injustice, erodes organizational commitment, and leads to marked demotivation (reduced teaching effort, loss of professional meaning). The study concludes that without urgent reform (publication of objective evaluation grids, targeted bonuses, regulatory framework by the Ministry of Higher Education, and revision of Law No. 2004/022), private higher education institutions risk a continuous decline in educational quality.