Dave David

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), an essential body in Nigeria’s educational sector, has pledged to provide the necessary support to integrate Nigerian students evacuated from war-torn Sudan into Nigerian universities. This assurance came from the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, during a recent meeting with the chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

JAMB’s Role in Student Integration

During the meeting held at JAMB’s headquarters in Abuja, Prof. Oloyede expressed empathy for the evacuated students’ predicament and commended NiDCOM for effectively managing their evacuation process. He assured that JAMB would contribute the necessary infrastructure and enablement to reintegrate these students into Nigeria’s educational system seamlessly.

Prof. Oloyede stated, “What we will do is that we will provide the necessary infrastructure, the necessary enablement to make you accommodate or return these candidates (students) to our educational system.”

Warning Against Non-compliance

However, the JAMB boss urged the returning students to adhere to all the stipulated procedures for their successful integration into Nigerian universities. He cited the example of some students who returned from the Russia-Ukraine war but failed to comply with these procedures, which prevented them from continuing their academic programs in Nigerian universities.

Partnership with NiDCOM

Prof. Oloyede also praised NiDCOM’s efforts to reintegrate the evacuated students into the Nigerian university system. He noted that JAMB had provided the Commission with the necessary processes and procedures for student transfers.

He added, “There are procedures (for transfer of students), the transcript, the rules and regulations, and that nobody should believe that a Nigerian university will award a certificate with less than two years’ stay and residency in the university.”

NiDCOM’s Role and Assurance

On her part, the NiDCOM chairman, Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa, revealed that as of Tuesday, 1,730 Nigerians had been evacuated from Sudan, with the majority being students eager to continue their education in Nigeria. She assured that the necessary procedures would be followed to integrate the affected students into Nigerian higher institutions seamlessly.

In conclusion, the collaboration between JAMB and NiDCOM in integrating the evacuated students into Nigerian universities is a laudable initiative. It not only reaffirms Nigeria’s commitment to its citizens abroad but also highlights the importance of education as a fundamental right, irrespective of the circumstances.