Nigerian students who were evacuated from war-torn Sudan have lamented the tedious processes of getting admitted into Nigerian universities.
Recall that a total of 2,518 stranded Nigerians were evacuated from Sudan in May 2023.
On June 7, 2023, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board unveiled modalities for the absorption of Nigerian students returning from war-torn countries, including Sudan, into tertiary institutions.
The JAMB Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, said the procedures for emergency transfers of returning students required each of them to do a retroactive registration with the Ministry of Education.
However, speaking with Sunday PUNCH, some of the students explained that they had yet to get admitted into their selected Nigerian university, stating that the process had been a herculean task.
A former student, and President of the Jigawa State Students’ Association in Sudan, Umar Abubakar, complained that most of his documents were still in Sudan, adding that getting clearance from the Ministry of Education was very stressful.
Abubakar lamented, “I have yet to get admission. I need to follow the protocols set by JAMB. I will need to travel down to Abuja from Kano. Most of us left our school certificates in Sudan.
“We cannot get our transcripts from our universities in Sudan right now because of the crisis. I am trying my best to see if I can get my documents, especially my WAEC results and clearance from the Ministry of Education and upload them on the JAMB website.
“I will be going with Bayero University, Kano, because it has a Pharmacy Department. The process of getting one’s results or clearance from the Ministry is very tough because of the large number of ex-Sudan students.”
Also, the Vice President, Katsina State Students Association in Sudan, Ismail Abubakar, said he had yet to be admitted into Bayero University, Kano after successfully submitting his documents to JAMB.
Abubakar noted, “I have yet to be admitted. I have sent my application to Bayero University, Kano after JAMB cleared me but till now, no response from them. I feel so bad right now.”
Furthermore, an ex-Medical student at Hayat University College, Amira Tafida, said that her choice of school had yet to call her for the assessment process into getting admitted.
Tafida said “I applied to Eko University of Medical and Health Sciences, Lagos State, but I have yet to be admitted. At first, it was between the University of Abuja and the Eko University, but I eventually settled for the Medical University because I feel it is closer since I stay in Lagos.
“I would be placed on assessment to know how much I know about my course which will determine my level of admission, although, a date is yet to be fixed for the assessment by the school.”
A 300-level ex-student of Information and Communication and Technology, Abdulsalam Maikano, stated, “I have yet to secure admission into any of the Nigerian universities.
“I am currently going through the evaluation instructed by JAMB, though I did not start the evaluation on time because I did not know about it before now. I am planning on picking Al-Qalam University in Katsina State or Skyline University in Kano State.”
However, a final-year pharmacy student at Sudan International University, Zainab Mohammed, noted that she is currently undergoing online lectures from her school in Sudan till further notice.