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Lastest News Nigeria, Politics, Business, Sport, Interview
Lastest News Nigeria, Politics, Business, Sport, Interview
Babatunji Wusu –
Following an undercover investigation that exposed fraudulent practices at some colleges, Nigerian students studying in the Benin Republic and Togo have voiced their displeasure with the Federal Government’s recent restriction on degree certificates from these nations.
Favour Ikenna, the president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in the Benin Republic, explained that the restriction is confusing and harmful to real students in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune.
Ikenna, an ISCG University in Cotonou final-year computer science student, denounced the fraudulent actions but asked that the ban be reexamined.
He emphasized that not all Nigerian students attend these countries’ colleges or engage in certificate forgery.
Instead of enacting a complete ban, he urged the Nigerian government to conduct a comprehensive investigation and verify the legitimacy of the credentials.
Ikenna stated, “It is not all Nigerian students in Benin Republic and Togo who buy certificates and we also believe it can’t be all their universities selling certificates.
“We know for sure that many of us in the two countries are legitimate students and we go through a lot to acquire our certificates. We take our education seriously and spend three to four or more years to earn the certificate depending on our mode of studying either as the regular or direct entry students.”
The prohibition may impede the academic and professional advancement of final-year students who are getting ready for the required National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program.
NANS, which speaks for students both domestically and overseas, praised the government’s efforts to protect academic integrity while emphasizing the detrimental effects of the restriction on eligible students.
Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, Senate President of NANS, highlighted the time, energy, and resources these students have committed to their academic endeavors.
Afeez demanded that Nigerian educational institutions and pertinent organizations be strengthened and proposed that certificate assessments be extended beyond Benin and Togo.
He issued a warning, saying that a general ban on certifications from these nations may damage Nigeria’s diplomatic and educational ties with the two.
