The Malaysian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gloria Tiwet has revealed that about 13,000 Nigerians study annually in Malaysia, an indication of a robust bilateral relations between the two countries.
She disclosed this to News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja yesterday at the 2022 Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) Alumni Programme.
Tiwet said that the numbers of Nigerian students in Malaysia increased again following a disruption of academic exercise due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Before COVID-19, every year, we had a total of 13,000 Nigerian students but 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 opened since April, and right now, we have around 4,000 Nigerian students who returned to continue their studies and there are also very few who are just starting their universities."
"Currently, they are around 4,000 and I look forward to an initial 13, 000 we had before the pandemic", she added.
While noting that Malaysia is one of the top destinations for Nigerian students, she said that the numbers of students received in Malaysia were either sponsored by their parents, Nigerian government or Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).
Tiwet stated that the challenges encountered by the students were adequately addressed by relevant authorities and the schools.
According to her, “Their affairs are under their respective universities or colleges that they study and they are responsible for their wellbeing. 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."
She said that MTCP was established in 1980 in the spirit of South-South Cooperation, adding that the programme was a proof of the commitment of the government of Malaysia towards the promotion of technical cooperation among developing countries.
The envoy stated that the programme offered support to areas where Malaysia had experience and expertise.
She said that Malaysia had extended trainings to 144 recipient countries and a total of 34,000 people benefited including Nigerians since the establishment of the programme.
Tiwet hinted that 495 Nigerian officials participated in the programme, out of the 144 benefitting countries.
On his part, President of MTCP Alumni, Solomon Adams, said that the trainings had been very impactful and helpful in their various offices.
"It has impacted us positively. We hope that in the future, we will have more of our citizens benefit from this training,” Adams said.
The event, in its third edition witnessed the provision of food items to individuals by the MTCP Alumni, with support from the government of Malaysia.
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