The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has assured Nigerian students evacuated from Sudan of completion of their studies in Nigeria, if they so desire.
This was contained in a press release e-signed by the Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abdur-Rahman Balogun.
Registrar of JAMB, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, gave an assurance that the Board will provide necessary infrastructure to enable the students complete their education in Nigerian universities.
He gave the cheering news while receiving a delegation, led by Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Honourable Abike Dabiri-Erewa, on discussions on how the student returnees who wish to complete their studies in Nigeria could so do.
The JAMB Registrar expressed his readiness to work with the universities regulator, the National Universities Commission (NUC), to ensure a seamless transition for the completion of the affected students.
He, however, noted that, in line with the Arusha/Addis Ababa Declaration, a student seeking transfer must spend, at least two years, in any of the universities before certification.
The JAMB Registrar said university admission is personal to individuals and each student could approach institutions of their choice, while JAMB will streamline the admission, based on laid down guidelines.
Oloyede listed some of the guidelines to include transcripts of examination records of previous years, filling of the uploaded forms and ensure the University applied to has accreditation for the course, among others.
For those whose course can be completed online, he said that National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has 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.
Oloyede used the opportunity to commend Honourable 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 will complete their respective studies in Nigeria.
She said the guidelines released by JAMB will be made public and posted on NiDCOM websites and other social media handles of the Commission.
She also expressed her appreciation to Professor Oloyede and JAMB for being a strategic partner with NIDCOM .
Speaking in the same vein, Mr. Abiodun Odunuga, co-founder of an NGO, Friends of Nigeria, Europe said he has received offers for scholarships for a number of the student returnees from Sudan at the American International University, Gambia.
He said the scholarships are for students with practical courses and willing to go to Gambia, and the Paris Graduate School for online courses, such as in Human Resources and Business Management.
A parent of one 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 to overcome their trauma.
She thanked NiDCOM and JAMB, as well as the Federal Government for their efforts since the crisis began in Sudan and the kind gesture towards the students.
It will be recalled that the war that broke out in Sudan had distrupted the academic programmes of thousands of Nigerian students which has so far led to the evacuation of over 1,856 Nigerians back to the country.
