Abuja – Nigerian students being evacuated from Sudan have been assured of placements in universities across Nigeria if they so wish.
The Registrar of the
Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Is-haq Oloyede gave the assurances on Tuesday in Abuja.
Oloyede spoke while receiving the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians In Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa in his office.
He said any of the returnees wishing to complete his studies in Nigeria, could so do without any problem.
The JAMB Registrar expressed his readiness to work with the National Universities Commission (NUC) to ensure a smooth admission of the affected students.
He, however, said that the students must be ready to spend two academic sessions in Nigeria universities before they can be awarded degrees.
This, he , said is in line with the Arusha/Addis Ababa declaration guiding transfer of student from one university to another.
Oloyede said university admission is personal to individuals, saying that students can approach institutions of their choice while JAMB will only streamline the admission based on the laid down guidelines.
“I advise both the students and parents to study the rules very well and comply, and ensure the admissions are properly ratified by JAMB, with the issuance of an admission letter from JAMB to the students concerned at any level , after they have been appropriately transferred to their universities of choice,” he said.
Oloyede used the opportunity to commend Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa for being proactive at all times on issues affecting Nigerians abroad, describing the Commission as a “good supplement “ to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Earlier, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa said the Commission was inundated with calls from Parents and students expressing concerns on how they can complete their studies in Nigeria.
She said that the guidelines released by JAMB will be posted on NiDCOM websites and other social media handles of the commission for maximum publicity.
She, however, expressed her appreciation to Prof. Is-haq Oloyede and JAMB for being a strategic partner with NIDCOM .
Speaking in the same vein, Mr. Abiodun Odunuga, the Co-founder, Friends of Nigeria, Europe, an NGO said that he has received offers for scholarships for a number of the student returnees from Sudan at American International University, Gambia for students with practical courses and willing to come to Gambia, and the Paris Graduate School for online courses, such as in Human Resources and Business Management courses.
One of the members of Parent Association of the student evacuees ,Hajia Asmau Muhammad Yerima, appealed to the Federal Government to provide the necessary means for students to continue their studies in Nigeria as part of the therapy for the trauma they went through.
She thanked NiDCOM and JAMB, as well as the Federal Government of Nigeria for their efforts since the crisis began in Sudan and the kind gesture towards the students.
Recalled that the ongoing war in Sudan has led to disruption in açademic programmes of thousands of Nigerian students living in that country.
The Federal Government has so far evacuated 1,856 Nigerians back home from the troubled country.
(vitalnewsngr.com)
