194 state-sponsored medical students depart Jigawa for Cyprus, India to complete their studies
The 184 students were being placed at the Near East University Cyprus, while 10 are to go to Integral University, India.
194 state-sponsored medical students depart Jigawa for Cyprus, India to complete their studies (TheGuardianNG)
Recommended articles
![Governor Seyi Makinde signing the final investment agreement for the Oyo State Government-Shell Nigeria Gas Infrastructure Development and Distribution project. [Twitter:@seyiamakinde]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'100'%20height%3D'100'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "Governor Seyi Makinde signing the final investment agreement for the Oyo State Government-Shell Nigeria Gas Infrastructure Development and Distribution project. [Twitter:@seyiamakinde]")
Saidu Magaji, the Executive Secretary, of the Jigawa State Scholarship Board, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse that all necessary arrangements have been completed for their flight to those countries.
Magaji said that the 184 students were being placed at the Near East University Cyprus, while 10 are to go to Integral University, India. NAN reports that the students were studying in the Republic of Sudan under the state government’s sponsorship before the outbreak of civil war in that country.
NAN reports that after being evacuated from Sudan, the state government again secured admission and placed 184 of the students in a Cyprus university, and the remaining 10 in India.
ADVERTISEMENT
The executive secretary said that out of the 194, 110 are female students, while 74 are male students. Magaji added that out of the 194 sponsored students, 192 are to study medicine, one will study Artificial Intelligence, and one is to study Pharmacy.
The executive secretary said that the state government spent ₦2.3 billion on tuition fees, accommodation, living allowance, and VAT. Resident Permit and other allowances for the students going to Near East University Cyprus.
He explained that ₦102.1 million was also spent on tuition fees, foreign sports school services, Resident permits and other allowances for those going to Integral University in India. He, however, said that the state government had made it mandatory for each of them to sign a bond to come back after studies and serve the state for between two and five years, depending on the agreement.
“At the end of their studies after the NYSC they will come and serve the state for five years. If it is a two years programme, they will come and serve the state for two years so that the state will benefit from the skills they have acquired,” the executive secretary stated.
He said that the students were appropriately being placed according to their levels of studies, adding that some are going to level two or three as such each student has been placed where he or she is supposed to be.
ADVERTISEMENT
Magaji, who also spoke about the scholarship programme at the local level, said that the state government had approved ₦774 million meant for the payment of scholarships for 26,834 students at various institutions across the country.
Meanwhile, some of the students who spoke to NAN before their departure expressed gratitude to the government and the people of Jigawa for giving them the opportunity once again to complete their studies.
Umar Dauda, a level 300 student heading to Northern Cyprus, said “words are not enough to express my feelings about the government’s gesture.”
Dauda said that the Jigawa indigenes were not the only state government-sponsored medical students evacuated from Sudan, but fortunately enough, the state was the only state in the North that rearranged and secured admission and placements for their sponsored students outside the country again.
Other students, Ibrahim Lawal, Fatima Umar and Badiyanatu Maigatari, all moving to 300 levels, expressed happiness for having the opportunity to return to class after their unpleasant experience in Sudan.
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng
Recommended articles
Niger Delta youths send strong warning to Obi over criticism of Lagos-Calabar road
Security, govt officials have turned banditry into business venture, Gov laments
Makinde signs monumental deal with Shell to build gas distribution network in Oyo
Tinubu set to commission 3 critical gas infrastructure projects
You won't believe how many Lagosians were arrested in 1 year for crossing highways
Man caught trying to smuggle snakes on plane — it's not the first time
Kwara public school wonderkid scores 95 in maths, 362 overall in UTME
70 plane passengers suffer diarrhea crisis during chaotic flight
Peter Obi sent a former Vice President’s son to beg me - Reno Omokri
ADVERTISEMENT
![Navy recruits 1,486 personnel to tackle oil theft, piracy – Minister [NAN]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg'%20width%3D'300'%20height%3D'172'%20data-ring-placeholder%3D'1'%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E "Navy recruits 1,486 personnel to tackle oil theft, piracy – Minister [NAN]")