May 10, 2023

Mr. Abiodun Odunuga, Co-founder, Friends of Nigeria, Europe, a non-governmental organisation, said he had received offers for scholarships from the American International University, The Gambia, for a number of the Nigerian student returnees from Sudan.

Odunuga said the scholarships received were for students with practical courses and who were willing to come to The Gambia.

He also said they were for students willing to participate in the Paris Graduate School for online courses, such as in Human Resources and Business Management courses.

Odunuga was speaking on Wednesday when a delegation led by Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), visited Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, Registrar of JAMB, in Abuja.

Also speaking at the event, a member of the Parents Association of Nigerian student evacuees from Sudan, Hajia Asmau Muhammad Yerima, says the provision of facilities to enable students to continue their studies in Nigeria, is part of the therapy for the trauma they went through.

Yerima thanked Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the federal government for their efforts and kind gesture to the students since the crisis began in Sudan.

The war that broke out in Sudan disrupted the academic programmes of many Nigerian students which led to the evacuation of over 1,856 citizens back to the country.

JAMB had assured Nigerian student evacuees of the board’s arrangement to enable them complete their education in Nigerian Universities, if they so wish.

A statement issued by Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, NiDCOM, on Wednesday, indicated that both parties held discussions on how the student returnees, who wish to complete their respective studies in Nigeria, could so do.

Oloyede expressed his readiness to work with the universities regulator, the National Universities Commission (NUC), to ensure a seamless transition for the completion of courses by the affected students.

The JAMB registrar, however, noted that in line with the Arusha/Addis Ababa Declaration, a university transfer student must spend at least two years in any university before certification.

He maintained that university admission was personal to individuals and each student could approach institutions of their choice, while JAMB would streamline the admission based on the laid down guidelines.

Oloyede listed some of the guidelines to include transcripts of examination records of previous years, filling of the uploaded forms, and ensuring that the university applied to had accreditation for the course, among others.

For those whose courses could be completed online, he said that National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) had provision for online courses.

“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 also used the opportunity to commend 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, the NIDCOM chairman said the commission was inundated with calls from parents and students expressing concerns on how they would complete their respective studies in Nigeria.

She said that the guidelines released by JAMB would, however, be made public and posted on NIDCOM websites and other social media handles of the commission.

She also expressed her appreciation to Oloyede and JAMB for being a strategic partner with NIDCOM.