Conditions for obtaining, current situation, list of former scholarship holders and status of their relationship with the scholarship fund

I-  Criteria for obtaining

The FOKOU Scholarship is intended for Bansoa candidates holding a Baccalaureate or a higher education diploma, obtained at the latest during the year preceding that of the competition.

To be eligible for the competition, the candidate must meet the following conditions:

General Conditions

1. be a member of the AJEEB in their locality of residence;
2. be aged 20 years or older on August 31 of the year of the competition for the Baccalaureate, 23 years or older for the DEUG (general university studies diploma), 24 years or older for the Bachelor’s degree, 25 years or older for the Master’s degree, and 27 years or older for the Doctorate.

Special conditions

1. All candidates for the FOKOU Scholarship must have obtained their diploma with at least the mention “fairly good” or have passed a competitive examination
2. The Commission may conduct inquiries to assess the degree of integration of the candidate and his parents into the Bansoa community, as well as their willingness to serve the community and their financial situation.

composition of the application file

To apply for the FOKOU scholarship, the candidate must submit a file including:

1. a handwritten request
2. proof of pre-registration or successful completion of the entrance exam to a reputable foreign institution, or successful completion of the entrance exam to a major training school or renowned institution based in the country;
3. certified copies of the diplomas obtained (BEPC or CAP, Probatoire, Baccalauréat and Higher Education diplomas) as well as the transcripts obtained for these diplomas;
4. a document certifying membership in AJEEB;
5. a curriculum studiorum retracing his academic career;
6. a copy of birth certificate;
7. the three report cards from the final year of high school or the transcript of the last class attended in higher education.

Complete files must reach the Commission, S/C Société FOKOU, BP 695, Messa, Yaoundé, before September 30 of the year of the competition, deadline.

II- Areas or specialties supported by the scholarship fund 

The FOKOU scholarship covers, among others, the following training areas: Management (master’s degree from specialized institutes), engineering sciences (technicians, engineers), biomedical sciences (technicians, nurses, doctors), IT, Schools for public administration, Doctorate (all specialties), legal professions (lawyer, notary, bailiff, magistrate), School of security forces.

III- Stock market values 

The FOKOU Scholarship consists of the annual awarding of scholarships abroad and within the country depending on available means.

Scholarship abroad:

It consists of the contribution to school costs (tuition, accommodation, etc.) per year. For each scholarship holder, the support lasts three years up to:

A- for Africa:

1. three million (3,000,000) CFA francs in the first year;
2. two million (2,000,000) CFA francs in the second year;
3. one million five hundred thousand (1,500,000) CFA francs in the third year.

B- For the rest of the world:

1. 1. five million (5,000,000) CFA francs in the first year;
   2. three million (3,000,000) CFA francs in the second year;
   3. two million (2,000,000) CFA francs in the third year.

1. Preference is given to candidates admitted to major schools with a higher education diploma or following a competitive examination.

Stock exchange within the country:

1. Within the country, the FOKOU Scholarship consists of covering all or part of the educational costs (tuition fees, membership fees for student associations, health insurance costs and all other costs of a mandatory nature and useful for the beneficiary’s education) for the duration of their training. The maximum amount of the annual allowance per beneficiary is set at one million (1,000,000) CFA francs.

IV-  Stock market bonds

performance obligations

1. The FOKOU Scholarship recipient is required to demonstrate satisfactory results. If the recipient repeats a year, the scholarship will be forfeited, unless this is justified by exceptional circumstances determined by the Commission.
2. He must therefore send to the Commission, at the end of each semester, his academic results, duly certified by the academic authorities of his training establishment.
3. The suspension of the scholarship for unsatisfactory academic results does not exempt the beneficiary from reimbursing amounts already committed.

Obligation to reimburse costs incurred by the Stock Fund.

1. In order to perpetuate the Scholarship Fund, the winner of the FOKOU Scholarship is required,

at the end of his training,  (at the latest 7 years after the end of his training) 

1. to pay into the FOKOU Scholarship fund at least the entirety of the costs incurred for his training. Therefore, he signs a scholarship contract with the Commission at the beginning of his training. This reimbursement allows the funds to be replenished to give new scholarships to other young students.
2. The scholarship holder’s parents are involved in signing the scholarship contract.
3. The scholarship holder automatically loses (the benefit of) his scholarship if he changes his training course without the favorable opinion of the Commission, or if he is excluded from his training institution. In this case, he is required to reimburse the costs already incurred for his training.

V- Current situation (May 22, 2016) 

1. As of this date, the FOKOU scholarship fund has awarded scholarships to 84 people corresponding to an expenditure of 227,766,991 (two hundred and twenty-seven million, seven hundred and sixty-six thousand, nine hundred and ninety-one) CFA francs.
2. Likewise, the first beneficiaries have begun to contribute to the scholarship fund. The amount contributed by these former scholarship holders is equal to 25,110,515 (twenty-five million one hundred and ten thousand five hundred and fifteen) CFA francs.

Two former scholarship holders who have completed their training (and are already working) are currently in an irregular situation with regard to the scholarship fund, thus blocking certain deserving children who could have benefited from the same conditions as them.

Do these two former scholarship students want to destroy the bridge after crossing it?

Some winners of the FOKOU stock market fund, their professional sector and their relationship with the stock market fund