Emmanuel Benson was planning to get his diploma in horticulture and landscaping from Nigeria’s Federal College of Forestry Mechanization next year. Now, he’s not willing to risk the return to school, after he was kidnapped by bandits with dozens of others earlier this year. “Our lives are at risk — Nigerian students, especially in…
Study Confirms Political Influence on Preventing COVID Spread
People who feel strongly connected to their country are more likely to practice social distancing and mask wearing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to research that looked at nearly 70 nations worldwide. “In pretty much every country we examined around the world, people who were strongly identified were more willing to make…
China Imposes Local Lockdowns as COVID-19 Cases Surge
China tightened lockdowns and increased orders for mass testing in cities along its coast Wednesday amid the latest surge in COVID-19 cases.Checks have been set up in toll stations around the city of Putian in Fujian province, with a dozen of them closed entirely. The nearby cities of Xiamen and Quanzhou have also restricted travel…
Largest US Colleges Push Student Vaccines With Mandates, Prizes
As a new semester begins amid a resurgence of the coronavirus, 26 of the 50 largest public university campuses in the U.S. are not mandating that students be vaccinated, according to an analysis by The Associated Press.Approaches on enforcement vary widely, even among universities that do have vaccine mandates, with some offering leniency for students…
Students, Beware: That Free Curbside Futon Might Carry Critters
With college students back on campus this school year, insect extermination company Terminix ranked the most bedbug-infested cities in the United States.Bedbugs spread by hitching rides on luggage, backpacks and clothing, and can crawl through cracks in the walls, making common spaces of dorm living extremely vulnerable to infestations.”Bedbugs go where people go, so they…
Food, Tradition Help Homesick Students Stay Connected
At first, Khadija Ghanizada had a tough time adjusting to the United States. She was 17 when she first came to America on a full scholarship in 2017 to attend Emma Willard School in rural upstate New York, far from any metropolis. That was tough for Ghanizada, who came from Kabul, Afghanistan’s largest city, populated…
‘Varsity Blues’ Trial Promises Fresh Insights in Old Scandal
The first trial in the “Operation Varsity Blues” college admissions bribery scandal will begin this week, with the potential to shed light on investigators’ tactics and brighten the spotlight on a secretive school selection process many have long complained is rigged to favor the rich.Jury selection is beginning Wednesday in federal court in Boston in…
Tulane University Evacuates All Students Amid Power Outages
Tulane University began evacuating students to Houston early Tuesday and is set to close for two weeks after Hurricane Ida damaged New Orleans’ power grid. Students were required to be off campus by 5 p.m. as buses evacuated those who were on campus. The university said students would remain in Houston, with food and lodging provided…
Foreign Students Struggle with Remote Learning
Throughout the pandemic, college students in the U.S. have struggled with studying remotely. The same is true for foreign students enrolled in American universities. Connor Smith has this report. …
Foreign Students Struggle to Get COVID-19 Vaccinations in US
Some international students in the United States are struggling to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before returning to school this fall. Connor Smith has this report. …
Canada’s Foreign Students Look Warily for Return to Normal
Canadian universities are nervously eyeing an uptick in COVID-19 cases driven by the delta variant, hoping it will not upend plans for a return to in-person classes for international students, many of whom spent the past year studying remotely from their home countries. With more than 72% of the population at least partly vaccinated and new…
Afghan Students in India Fear Returning under Taliban Rule
Undergraduate Afghan student Saeeda Dilyabi, in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh, is deeply worried about the future that her country holds for her after the Taliban captured power.“Our lives will be in danger, our families’ life will be in danger, so I don’t think we can go back to Afghanistan,” Dilyabi said, sitting in…
Afghan Students in India Fear Returning After Taliban Takeover
Afghan students enrolled in Indian colleges and universities worry about the future that their country holds for them following the Taliban takeover there. India has a large Afghan student community, with most having come on scholarships offered by the Indian government as a goodwill gesture to promote education in the country. Anjana Pasricha spoke to…
Afghan Students Fearful as Taliban Takeover Continues
Afghan university students in the U.S. and Afghanistan react to the Taliban takeover of their country. …
Half of Nigerians Willing to Emigrate for Better Opportunities, Survey Finds
About half of Nigerians, especially youth, would be willing to leave the country for a better life, according to a July World Bank survey, an increase of nearly 20% since 2014. The report blames poor job opportunities and economic hardships, made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. But as Timothy Obiezu reports from Abuja, some Nigerians…
What is Critical Race Theory?
Critical race theory (CRT) has become a controversial topic in the United States, as the country wrestles with race, immigration, civil rights and civil conflict. Some states have banned its teaching in classrooms.CRT maintains that racism is deeply embedded in U.S. policy, law and society, rather than purely individual and personal, as its opponents contend.FILE…
Students Across US Take On COVID Disinformation
A student organization is trying to combat misinformation about COVID-19 and pandemic on American campuses through social media. COVID Campus Coalition’s mission is to dispel “misconceptions surrounding COVID vaccines by providing students with weekly digestible scientific summaries through a plethora of virtual and in-person platforms,” FILE – Masked students walk to a COVID-19 vaccination site…
Pause on US Student Loan Payments Extended Through January
The Biden administration on Friday announced that federal student loan payments will remain suspended through January 2022, extending a pause that began at the start of the pandemic and was scheduled to expire next month.The Education Department said this will be the final extension.Borrowers will not have to make payments on federal student loans during…
Mountain Biker Cruises Peaks to Promote Afghanistan
Cyclist Farid Noori hopes to increase awareness of his home country’s scenic beauty. Connor Smith has the story. …
Students Criticize Online Learning as Inadequate
Online learning has been grossly inadequate during the 2020-’21 COVID-19 shutdown, according to college and university students interviewed by VOA Student Union.Domestic and international students at U.S. colleges and universities said the pandemic that shut down many schools in March 2020 disrupted their lives and impacted their academic performance. And online learning, despite being touted…
Afghan Fear Complete Taliban Takeover
Young people who have spoken against Taliban rule in Afghanistan or who adopted lifestyles that don’t fit the fundamentalist regime say they fear for their livelihoods and lives as the insurgent group gains more territory. “We live in very critical and dangerous circumstances right now,” said Murtaza Ahmadi, a writer, part-time teacher and government employee. “The Afghan…
Foreign Student Athletes See Visas Overrule Pay
The U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association has announced that student athletes can profit off their names, images and likenesses, but what does this mean for international student athletes? Connor Smith has this report. …