Snr. Correspondent, Abuja
The United States of America (USA), on Wednesday urged the
Government of Nigeria, to work out a lasting solution to the lingering Academic
Staff of Universities (ASUU) strike even as it decried the activities of touts
who deceive Nigerian students intending to study in the US, labelling
them as criminals.
US Embassy Cultural Affairs Officer, Bill Strassberger, who
spoke to journalists in Abuja noted that though the US is not involved in
the ASUU negotiation, said: “It is a fear, it is a worry for us.”
“That is something for the Nigerian government. It is up to work
it out with the striking administration.
“We are not involved in that negotiation but we can encourage
it. It is a fear, it is a worry for us because that would make it hard for the
students to come.
“It may be difficult, but there is no magic wand to resolve the
strike,” Strassberger said.
Also, the Head, Education USA, Jennifer Onyukwu, equally stated
that the US has been concerned about the ongoing strike in so many ways.
For instance, she noted that Nigerians who are seeking admission
into US schools, require their transcripts which they cannot get because
of the strike.
“There is that concern because generally, the world has become a
global village, people want stronger applicants in their campuses; so they want
stronger senders,” she stressed.
On patronising touts to study in the US, Strassberger enjoined
admission seekers to access free information which is available at all
time.
“Those are the touts, those are the people that I will even call
criminals because they are stealing opportunities by selling only documents by
giving bad information and creating a disappointment when the person comes in
with that information or with only document. And that is the result of not
getting accurate information,” he said.
On her part, Contr Onyukwu said the ‘EducationUSA is here to
demystify the process, explain how to take the standardised tests, how to
search for schools, and how to find the best undergraduate school that is the
best fit for the intending US student, including the masters programme that
would not only educate the student, but may also provide scholarship or
financial aid to study while in the US.’
Onyukwu said Nigeria has been US’s largest sender of
African students from sub-saharan Africa to the US.
“In the past six years, the US has spent over $40 million on
scholarships and financial aid for undergraduate and graduate students, the US
is expecting to do more in the coming year,” she assured.
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