No fewer than 13,000 Nigerians study annually in Malaysia, the Malaysian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gloria Tiwet, has said.
She disclosed this on Tuesday at the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) Alumni Programme 2022 in Abuja.
She said the numbers of Nigerian students in Malaysia had started to pick up again following a disruption of academic exercise; as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said “Before COVID-19, every year, we had a total of 13,000 Nigerian students.
“During COVID-19, there was no movement, so there were zero students because most of them would have returned to Nigeria.
“Starting this year, our borders have been 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.
“So, right now, there are around 4,000 and I look forward to the numbers increasing to the numbers before COVID-19, that is, 13,000. Every year, there are 13,000 students.”
Ms Tiwet who also noted that Malaysia was one of the top destinations for Nigerian students said the numbers of students received in Malaysia were either sponsored by their parents, the Government of Nigeria, or Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).
She also noted that the concerns of students were adequately handled and responded to, by relevant authorities and the schools.
