JAMB To Integrate Students Evacuated From Sudan Into Nigerian Varsities

The Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) has pledged to support Nigerian students who were evacuated from war-torn Sudan and ensure that they are integrated into Nigerian universities.

The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made the pledge in a statement issued on Wednesday, adding that the board would provide all necessary infrastructure to ensure the transition is smooth for the students.

He also added that the board would support the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) in any way necessary to aid the evacuation process for the remaining students.

“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,” he said.

Oloyede admonished the students not to emulate students who returned to Nigeria from Ukraine, due to the ongoing with Russia, about a year ago who did not comply with the procedures necessary to allow them to continue their academic programmes in Nigerian universities.

“We must thank NIDCOM for making efforts that the students are brought into the Nigerian university system and we have given the Commission the process and procedure.

“There are procedures (for transfer of students); the transcript, the rules and regulations, and nobody should be under any illusion that Nigerian university will award certificate with less than two years stay and residency in the university, and the procedure is done legitimately and properly with the cooperation of the National Universities Commission and the individual institution.

“The guideline from JAMB has already been handed over to the chairperson of the Commission,” he stated.

The JAMB boss also explained that students are expected to spend no less than 2 academic sessions in any Nigerian university upon transferring.

“If you are doing a five-year programme, you will go to year four, because you are going to spend year 4 and year 5.

“For instance, if you are studying Medicine and you are in your 600 level, and if the Medical and Dental Council assesses what you have done; practical is okay, they will just move you to year 5, 500 level. You will do 500 level and 600 level, and you will have the certificate of the institution in Nigeria,” he said.

Meanwhile, NIDCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said that so far, 1,730 Nigerians have been evacuated from Sudan as of Tuesday and that the majority of them are students.

She assured that the necessary procedures are underway to ensure they are successfully integrated into Nigerian universities.

“The key thing is that there are processes to follow but they are not difficult processes and that is what we learnt from JAMB. The institutions are already saying they want to give support, they want to admit them but the key thing is to follow the process as stipulated by JAMB,” she said.