Sudan Crisis: JAMB Assures Absorption Of 700 Returnee Students By Nigerian Institutions

Sudan Crisis: JAMB Assures Absorption Of 700 Returnee Students By Nigerian Institutions

BY HENRY TYOHEMBA, DESTINY BAKARE and RUTH JOSEPH ALLU, Abuja

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has reiterated its commitment to the task of ensuring that all the over 700 returnee students from war-torn Sudan, who are seeking admissions into Nigerian universities, are absorbed.

The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, gave the assurance during a meeting with representatives of the Association of Concerned Parents of Nigerian Student Returnees from Sudan (ACPNSRS) in Abuja.

According to him, as the nation’s admission clearing house, the Board would do all that was necessary to ensure that the returnee students who have requisite qualifications are accommodated within the Nigerian tertiary education system.

He also called on the Association to ensure that all the affected students possess authentic certificates as the Board would not condone any sharp practice in the nation’s admission value chain.

The Registrar, while reassuring the parents forum of the Board’s full support, expressed the resolve of its management to integrate the returnees to universities of their choice.

He urged the parents to take cognisance of the various advisories on procedures for applying for foreign inter-university transfers for old students, to mention but a few.

Prof. Oloyede pointed out that the advisories were follow-up to the series of high-level consultations with the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC) and other critical agencies of government, Vice Chancellors of Nigerian universities and other stakeholders on the issue of re-absorption of returnee students, who are caught up by civil unrest in foreign lands.

He noted that, as part of the Board’s determination to ensure the absorption of the returnee students, the Board’s Integrated Brochure and Syllabus System (IBASS) has been made available to accommodate the peculiarities of these returnees.

He added that any student, who has neither completed the university transfer form nor follow all the guidelines that have been made available to them will not be captured by IBASS.

Furthermore, he explained that any admission done outside CAPS would not be condoned by the Board and would pose serious problem for such students in the long run. He, therefore, enjoined the parents to ensure they follow due process at all times.

Earlier, the spokesperson of the forum, Hajia Asmau Yerima, commended the Board for honouring their request for a meeting. She then outlined the reasons for the meeting, which, according to her, included but not limited to, the issue of rejected applications of their children/wards by some universities.

Yerima appealed to the Board to make available a dedicated window where returnee students would be able to make changes in their choice of institutions at any CBT centre.