First City Monument Bank (FCMB), has unveiled a scheme tagged: ‘FCMB Education Advisory Service,’ that would ensure convenient and affordable education support for its customers who or their children desire to study abroad and obtain undergraduate and post-graduate degrees.
The support includes overseas admission information services, school fees remittance, school living allowances and travel fares, loans to support school fees payments, visa process, travels and examination preparation.
According to a statement, access to customers and other aspiring candidates is available on FCMB website with branches where operational desks are currently located, listed.
“It is part of the bank’s contributions towards developing a new generation of brilliant minds that would take Nigeria to the next level. The scheme is in partnership with MOD Group, a foremost international education promotion and marketing company with operations deeply rooted in Nigeria and covering the West Africa sub-region,†it stated.
Under the initiative which was launched recently in Lagos, FCMB said it is offering a full range of core financial services, tailored to meet the needs of its customers in the area of acquiring education abroad.
This, according to the bank, would be in addition to a wide range of benefits that the Bank is providing for potential and existing students under the Education Advisory Service initiative.
Among these are, up to N5 million school fees support to customers from the Bank and Credit Direct Limited, one of the subsidiaries of FCMB Group Plc (the holding company), Flexx account (in foreign exchange) for students going abroad to study, prompt and secure international funds transfer through internet banking platforms for the payment of school fees and other educational expenses abroad. There is also the issuance of FCMB debit cards, including the pocket money card (pre-loaded) that can be used to withdraw cash from overseas ATMs and make payments at stores and supermarkets.
On the other hand, MOD Group will provide advisory services, such as, school admission processing, visa processing and examination preparation for beneficiaries of the FCMB Education Advisory Service.
Speaking at the launch of the initiative, the Executive Director, Retail Banking of FCMB, Mr. Olu Akanmu restated the commitment of the bank to champion and execute initiatives that would promote education and knowledge acquisition among Nigerians.
According to him, “The FCMB Education Advisory Services in partnership with MOD Services and international partners also covers school admission process, Visa processing, travel and examination Preparation.
“We recognise that knowledge of what to do and how to do it matters in securing good overseas education. FCMB will also be providing prompt school fees and living allowances remittance, loans to support school fees payment and international cards to support living overseas for Nigerian students
Also speaking at the ceremony, the Managing Director of MOD Group, Mr. Michael Dosunmu, expressed gratitude to FCMB for the partnership.
The Permanent Secretary/Tutor General, Ministry of Education in Lagos State, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Onadipe, described the Educational Advisory Service scheme as a step in the right direction.
