Nidcom and Jamb work on package enabling students from Sudan to complete their education in Nigeria

PLANS are being put together by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (Nidcom) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (Jamb) to enable those students studying in the Sudan whose education was cut short by the war to resume their studies locally.

Over the last month, Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been involved in a brutal war with more than 400 people killed so far. With heavy fighting now raging, especially in the capital Khartoum, foreign expatriates have all fled the country and Nigerian commercial airline Air Peace has been airlifting the country's citizens from neighbouring Egypt, after they have travelled there by road.

With these students now in Nigeria, Nidcom chair, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa has been receiving them. Yesterday, she met with the Jamb registrar Professor Ishaq Oloyede to work out the modalities that will enable such students to continue their education in Nigeria given that it is unlikely they will return to Sudan soon.

At the meeting, Professor Oloyede, assured the Nidcom team that Jamb will provide the necessary infrastructure to enable the students complete their education in Nigerian universities, if they so wish to. He 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.

Professor Oloyede, 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 averred that university admission is personal to individuals and each student could approach institutions of their choice while Jamb will streamline the admission based on the laid down guidelines.

Among other things, Professor Oloyede listed some of the guidelines to include transcripts of examination records of previous years, filling of the uploaded forms and ensuring the university applied to has accreditation for the course. For those whose courses can be completed online, he said that National Open University of Nigeria has provision for them to complete their studies there.

Professor Oloyede said: "I advise both the students and parents to study the rules very well and comply. They should ensure the admissions are properly ratified by Jamb, with the issuance of an admission letter to the students concerned at any level after they have been appropriately transferred to their universities of choice."

Hon Dabiri-Erewa said Nidcom had been inundated with calls from parents and students expressing concerns about how they will complete their studies in Nigeria. She said that the guidelines released by Jamb will be made public and posted on Nidcom websites and other social media handles.

Abiodun Odunuga, the co-founder of Friends of Nigeria, Europe, said that he has received offers for  scholarships for a number of the student returnees from Sudan at the American International University, Gambia. He added that the offer was for students doing practical courses and willing to come to Gambia.