Africa-Press. The Cameroonian capital, Yaoundé, witnessed a peaceful protest in front of the French embassy, where dozens of individuals gathered to denounce the new financial conditions imposed on Cameroonian students accepted into private universities in France, arguing that these conditions hinder their opportunities to continue their studies.
According to a statement from a local source, Cameroonian students have been required, since July 9, to prove full payment of tuition fees or provide evidence of possessing the required amount before being issued a visa to travel to France.
This decision comes at a time when many students had already completed their application procedures for French universities. Among those affected is Ivan Odugo, a master’s student in public law at a private French university, who confirmed that his visa application was rejected due to the new regulations regarding student mobility, noting that authorities requested proof of having an amount of 25,000 euros, which includes tuition and processing fees, a sum he described as exceeding the capacity of most Cameroonian families.
Additionally, a parent, who preferred to remain anonymous, expressed his discontent with the decision, explaining that his son is already enrolled in a private university in Lyon, France, and that the family had planned to pay the tuition fees in installments after having already paid 3,500 euros in registration fees. However, the new requirement obliges them to provide approximately 14,500 euros in one payment.
The organizers of the protest called for a dialogue with French authorities to reconsider the decision. Salomon Ondoa, a representative of the Access to Study Projects Group, stated that it is essential to consider the implications of this measure, suggesting a postponement of its implementation until next year or the adoption of fairer solutions, emphasizing that Cameroonian students should not face more difficult conditions for studying in France compared to students from other African countries, such as Côte d’Ivoire.
In response, a source at the French embassy in Cameroon reported that officials from the local source intend to hold a meeting with the media before the end of the week to clarify the circumstances surrounding the decision and the procedures related to student mobility.
