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From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
Malaysian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gloria Tiwet, has disclosed 13,000 Nigerian students are received annually in Malaysia.
Tiwet, who stated this during the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) Alumni Programme 2022 in Abuja, however, said the figures have started picking up having been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event, the third of its kind, witnessed the provision of food items to individuals by the MTCP Alumni, with support from Malaysia government.
Tiwet said: “Before COVID-19, every year, we had 13,000 Nigerian students.
“During COVID-19, there was no movement, so there was zero students because most of them would have returned to Nigeria.
“Starting this year, our borders are open since April and right now, we have around 4,000 Nigerian, who are actually students returned to continue their studies and there are also very few who are just starting their universities.
“So, right now, there number is around 4,000 and I look forward to the numbers to increase to the numbers before COVID-19, that is 13,000. Every year, there was 13,000 students.”
Speaking on the quality of Nigerian students in Malaysia, Tiwet said the numbers of students received in Malaysia were either sponsored by their parents, the government of Nigeria or Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).
“So, their affairs are under their respective universities or colleges that they study. And these universities are responsible for their wellbeing.
“And if they have any difficulties, they are to inform the security. But, of course, in an institution of higher learning, they have a department of student affairs that will have check and balance and to see that they are good students,” Tiwet said.
Tiwet further expressed the hope of the Malaysian government that the numbers of Nigerian students applying for studies in Malaysia will return to the previous figures.
