The Federal Government of Nigeria on Monday announced a platform to facilitate the placement of Nigerian students evacuated from Ukraine into Nigerian tertiary institutions.
This is despite the over four months’ strike by university lecturers in Nigeria.
The spokesperson of the ministry of foreign affairs, Francisca Omayuli, said this was to enable them to continue their studies.
“In this connection, Interested students should visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website and complete the online Nigerian Student in Ukraine (NSU) registration form with the required information on or before 15th July, 2022,” it said.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which started on February 24, led to the disruption of lives and activities in Ukraine including education. Millions of people have been displaced in Ukraine with different governments including Nigeria’s evacuating their citizens from the war-torn country.
Nigeria received over 1,000 evacuees from Ukraine in March; most of them being students. Many of the students have been undergoing online classes in their Ukrainian universities while others have had their education stalled until this announcement.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council (MDCN) recently announced that it will not accept Ukrainian certificates issued during the war because it does not recognise online studies for medical students. The MDCN advised the affected medical students to continue their education in Nigerian universities.
Nigerian lawmakers last week opposed the stance of the MDCN and asked the council to allow students in the 5th year of their medical programmes in Ukraine to be absorbed into medical schools in Nigerian universities to complete their 6th year.
It asked the federal government to, through relevant MDAs, discuss with Ukrainian authorities for universities to release the transcripts of years completed from year 1 to year 6 (as applicable) for Nigerian students willing to transfer to medical schools in Nigeria or other nations.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Nigerian students stuck in Ukraine cried out for help when the war started.
Over 300 of the students were trapped in Sumy, a Ukrainian city that shares borders with Russia.
Chiamaka Okafor is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe.
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