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The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, says it is happy with the continued suspension of certificates issued by universities in Benin Republic and the Republic of Togo by the federal government.
It, therefore, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the matter, saying the future of thousands of Nigerian youths studying in those countries is hanging in the air.
In a statement issued on Friday by Comrade Joshua Olakunle, the Director, NANS – West Africa Affairs, the student body said that a lot of prominent Nigerians have studied in those countries and have proven that they could hold their heads high among their peers in the society.
It called on the government to expedite action on the report of the panel it set up early in the year to look into allegations of certificate racketeering in some countries and even within Nigeria.
“We acknowledge that some Nigerian universities have also been accused of certificate racketeering and other misconduct, yet the government has not taken similar action. Some Nigerian universities are not accredited, and this has not led to a suspension of their certificates. We urge the government to address the issues in our own universities rather than targeting foreign institutions.
“Despite the odds, some institutions in Benin Republic and Togo are making reasonable efforts to develop their facilities. We commend the Benin National Government for its efforts to harmonize and sanitize the sub-sector through policies such as “shutdown any erring” university, compulsory French Language studies, and accreditation of courses.
“However, we are concerned that the suspension of certificates will not address the root causes of the problem. Instead, we propose a collaborative approach to regulate and upgrade university education in the sub-region. This will strengthen regional cooperation and improve education standards,” NANS said.
