UNESCO Read and Earn Federation (UNESCO-REF) has partnered with the Police Officers Wife Association (POWA) and the United Kingdom Global Universities Application Portal (UAPP) to support Nigerians pursuing higher education abroad.

The President of UNESCO-REF, Abdulsalami Ladigbolu-Oranmiyan, said this at the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Abuja on Wednesday.

Mr Ladigbolu-Oranmiyan said the new partnership was designed to complement existing student funding interventions.

He explained that while the current scheme of NELFUND mainly supports students studying within Nigeria, the new facility would remove financial barriers for those seeking admission into foreign institutions.

He said the pilot phase of the programme would commence at the police secondary school before expansion to other parts of the country by September.

He disclosed that the programme had partnerships with more than 250 universities across the world, providing broad opportunities for beneficiaries.

He added that the intervention aligned with the education strategic priorities and national development goals focused on improving access to learning.

According to him, eligibility is open to all categories of learners, including undergraduate, master’s and doctoral candidates, regardless of institution type or location.

He noted, “This facility ensures that our collaboration is not only about opening doors to international university applications but also about providing the financial backbone that makes opportunities attainable.

“It is this reason for our synergy, combining the UNESCO-REF vision with UAPP Global reach.

“This is to dismantle these barriers, democratise access, and create a holistic framework where ambition is matched with resources and dreams are matched with pathways.”

He noted that the scheme would accommodate students from public and private schools across the country without language restrictions.

He announced sponsorship of admission processes for the first 40 police secondary school students selected under the initiative.

He said the implementation of the programme would begin immediately, while payment structures would be managed by designated financial partners.

The National President of POWA, Elizabeth Egbetokun, said the new education partnership would expand higher education access for Nigerian youth, especially police secondary school students.

Ms Egbetokun said the MoU aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on education.

She said the initiative supported the vision of the President, which prioritised education as a driver of national transformation, inclusivity and social mobility.

According to her, the programme will begin in police secondary schools before expanding nationwide to ensure no child is excluded from global higher education opportunities.

“I am especially delighted that this initiative will be piloted in the police secondary schools.

“From this pilot, the programme will spread to other schools and institutions across the country, ensuring that no child is left behind in the pursuit of higher education and global opportunities,” Ms Egbetokun said.

According to her, the partnership promotes transparency, accountability and innovation while strengthening confidence among parents, society and young Nigerians.

Ms Egbetokun called on government agencies, private sector actors and civil society to support the initiative to improve access to education for underserved communities.

Global Director of Business Development, UAPP, Alan Bahia, said the collaboration would streamline secure university applications and provide end-to-end guidance for Nigerian students.

Mr Bahia added that the pilot included fee waivers, mentorship and priority processing for the first 1,000 participating students to reduce entry barriers.

He reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to transparency, measurable impact and nationwide expansion of opportunities for young Nigerians.

The memorandum of understanding is under categories two and 15 of the UNESCO-REF Strategic Intervention Programme-Alpha (SIP-Alpha).
(NAN)