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UK students have competitive edge -Okafor
Forget the Internet. If you are seeking for placement
into university in the United Kingdom, you can meet face-to-face with
representatives of 44 British universities currently in Nigeria to scout for
students. Thanks to the British Council Nigeria, these institutions are holding
an education fair in Abuja and Lagos to screen prospective students for their
faculties. Theresa Okafor, British Council’s centre manager, spoke with Development Reporter, Ntai Bagshaw, on
the rationale behind the fair and the increasing quest for British education by
Nigerians.
What brings representatives of 44 UK
universities to Nigeria?
These universities are coming because of
the growing demand and interests in UK qualifications by Nigerians. The British
Council, as an international organization that fosters cultural relationships
between Nigeria and the UK, is facilitating the visit of these representatives
so Nigerians can get full information of the range of all the options that are
available and opportunities that abound on the (British) Prime Minister’s
initiative and the advantages attached to it.
What is the itinerary of the visit?
They will be in Abuja for two days, from
the 24th to the 30th of October and then they’ll be in Lagos from the 1st
to 2nd second of November. 62 delegates from those 44 institutions will be
present.
Is this the first time this fair will
be holding?
It is the second time it is happening.
Last year we had 26 institutions. We’re having 44 this year, which is an
increase.
What informed the visit?
It is informed by the demand for UK
qualifications because students who have UK qualifications get a competitive
edge over others. Employers place a lot of premium on UK qualifications.
Therefore, there are high employment prospects attached to UK qualifications.
Apart from that, students can also choose from a range of options. There are
many opportunities available. The system is flexible in the sense that there
are different start dates and multiple offers available. Besides that, there
are many advantages enjoyed by students in the UK. Students in the UK can work
and study at the same time, thereby supplementing their income as long as it
does not affect the 20 hours that they have to give to their studies weekly.
Also, students in the UK enjoy discounts in transport. They don’t pay as
much as others. Students in the UK also get free health service through the
national health scheme. And in no time, they get their degree because the
system is fast track. It is intensive but fast track. So they can meet many of
the demands set by Nigerian employers. UK education is attractive because of
the proximity to Nigeria. UK is closer to home than Australia and the United
States. And the environment you find is the UK is multicultural, so students
mix. It is an international setting, so many students mix with others. And as a
result of that mix, their horizon becomes broadened. The UK is also a very
welcoming and accessible society.
How costly is it to study at these
institutions?
As a Nigerian, I do know that Nigeria is a
very cost sensitive market but at the same time, you get value for money. That
is truth. It is expensive but affordable. Affordable in the sense that in no
time, say three years, you get a degree. And because of the premium that
employers place on UK qualifications, you earn quite a lot. So I think the
benefit lies in the value for money. It is an investment but in the long-term,
you reap high dividends.
Does the Nigerian government have any
input in this programme?
There is a bilateral relationship between
the Nigerian government and the UK. Our relationship with the UK is historical.
We have a shared system of education.UK qualification is recognized in Nigeria.
And the government is happy because of the various partnership and links
existing between UK education and Nigeria, otherwise it wouldn’t’
be possible to have the fair in the first place. So, I think it is simply
meeting the needs of the Nigerian public. There is a need for it and we are
meeting that need. And there are benefits accruing to Nigeria and the UK. The
British Council, as an organization that creates opportunity, is trying to
facilitate mutual benefits from both countries as a result of his visit and as
a result of the information that we pass and access we provide.
Last year’s fair was opened by the
Minster of Education and also the Lagos state commissioner of education
declared the fair open in Lagos. So, I think the Nigerian public is quite happy
that we are facilitating access to information.
What should visitors to the fair expect
to experience?
Students who visit the fair should come
with their certificates and credentials. At the fair, there will be interaction
and counseling provided by the international officers from the various UK
universities. Counseling will be provided on a one-on-one basis. And if the
students are eligible based on their qualifications, chances are that if the
international officers have the mandate to provide a letter of offer, then a
letter offer will be provided. I presume that there will be the necessary
follow up placement in the UK.
What level of students is the fair
targeted at?
It is actually targeted at post-secondary
school students who want to pursue further education. Those who are pursuing a
first degree or who would like to do what is known as a foundation or access
course, which is similar to a prelim or ‘A’ level in Nigeria. With
the access course, you gain access to a full discipline in the university in
the UK. Or if it is a foundation course, it is equivalent to the
‘A’ level and you can now pursue your degree in the years.
Information will be made available first to post-secondary school students.
Postgraduate students also will be attended to. Those interested in Masters,
MBA, PhD, MPhil. Those are the targets - young professionals who want an
added qualification
Do you see the fair as an indictment on
the poor state of Nigeria’s tertiary education sector?
The Nigerian system of education has a lot
to offer Nigerians. Nigerians who pursue UK studies are those who have attained
a good qualification in Nigerian and as such are eligible for UK studies. What
happens is that they get an added value; otherwise, there wouldn’t be
that pursuit in the first place. I see it in items of a relationship. It
benefits the UK economically because those brilliant Nigerians can also add to
the research output in the UK. And those Nigerians as a result of having
studied in the UK would make good trade and political partners because of the
acquaintances they’ve made in the UK. So it is a bilateral and mutually
benefiting relationship.
What is the British Council doing to
promote the development of Nigeria’s education sector?
The British Council has many education
programmes that provides access to information and provides a platform for
collaborative sharing between academicians in Nigeria and their counterparts in
the UK. For instance, within the last two months, the British Council
facilitated the visit of the registrar of the University of Lagos to certain
universities in the UK to understand their admission systems and other
mechanisms they have in place and then come back to Nigeria and then share such
findings and see what could be adapted. We also have other higher education
links between universities in Nigeria and in the UK. We have global school
partnerships between schools in Nigeria and in the UK. We try to create
workshop where you have studies of best practice in schools management and
thing like that.
Can you give a naira or pound figure of
what it costs to study in the UK?
It varies from cost to cost. I can’t
give you approximate figures. In the social sciences, it cost about seven
thousand pounds a year for postgraduate studies. For the undergraduate level,
it is about the same thing too. However, don’t forget that you have
students’ rebates in place. So students can apply for a rebate or
scholarship, but again that is highly competitive.
Does this figure include living and
sundry expenses?
No, that is for tuition only. Living
expenses differs. It is exclusive of living expenses. At the same time, you
have to consider that such students will pay a discounted transport rate.
Health care is free of charge and they can work and study at the same time. And
that financial investment that have made in education will pay high dividends
over time.
How was last year’s fair received
by Nigerian students?
Very well. Over three days, we had 5,000
visitors at the fair. So it was a very busy one. And we expect a larger number
o visitors his year.
Why charge N1,000 as entry fee to the
fair?
Last year, we had tickets on sale for N500
and so we had so many people that we could hardly manage the crowd. So this
time around, we had to increase the amount to be able to manage the crowd. This
is to ensure that the unserious students will not get in the way of the serious
ones.
What was the feedback from the last
fair?
The feedback we got was very positive.
There were indications that as a result of that fair, many students were able
to get full information and quicker access to the university. The indicator
that last year’s fair was successful is the fact that 26 visited last
year we have 44 visiting this year. After the fair, we had an influx of
Nigerians besieging our office wanting more information. That’s why we
invited these 44 institutions to come this year.
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