Why Africans should not only focus on the English-speaking countries for study
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Adedamola Oloketuyi, I’m an Educational Consultant. I have a bachelor degree in Petroleum Engineering from Covenant University, Ota, Ogun state and a Master’s degree from a prestigious German School - International University of Applied Science (IUBH). When I came here, I had the opportunity to work with Airbus Consulting (Dornier Consulting); after a while, I started consulting with schools as an International Recruitment Junior Manager. I got promoted to a senior position and later started working with a Business School as a Senior Manager before I proceeded by starting my own business in Germany.
How did you get into this field?
That is how I got into this field and decided to stick to it because I find fulfilment in it. Over the years, I have been able to speak to students from all across Africa because I had the opportunity to manage all international recruitment agencies in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Cameroon, etc. They are under my supervision, and I got experience from that position and job functions.
Source: UGC
Do you feel career counselling is dead in Africa?
Now with career counselling in Africa, I will say it’s almost dead because parents and teachers just take up this responsibility and they advise based on their past feelings or experience especially if they study abroad, which may not be relevant in the modern era, due to changes in values of countries over time. For example, parents decide on conventional countries like UK, America or Canada for people to study, whereas you cannot compare their experience in the ’90s as students to what experience students of this millennium are having as foreign students due to several things that have really changed.
What is your opinion on studying in English speaking countries abroad?
We have a lot of crowd mentality when trying to decide on study option countries, rather than focusing on where they can find other benefits from other unpopular or non-English speaking countries. For example, I have a formula called “AOC Formulae”, where I divide countries into Tiers; Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 countries.
Tier 1 countries – have a quality education, allows students to stay back after studies, there is job prospects and immigration possibilities (clear path to immigration), means you can get your nationality in that country. Tier 2 countries – also have all listed in Tier 1 countries but the possibility of you getting it is very low.
Tier 3 countries – are just go and study and return home. Examples of Tier 1 Countries are Canada, Germany, Netherland, Australia and the likes. Tier 2 Countries, are the UK, Spain, Denmark, Ireland (Depending on the course you are studying). Tier 3 Countries are Russia, Ukraine, Cyprus, Lusitanian, and the likes.
I personally don’t see any reason you should go to Tier 3 countries if you are coming from Tier 3 country because you want to make a step ahead unless you are trying to make a decision for yourself. Back to Tier 1 countries, you will find out that popular countries like Canada and Australia, the visa process is very tedious recently and like over 70% student visa are been rejected last year whereas a lot of people still go for it, I don’t really understand why?
Why do you feel people like to go for popular options?
When there are alternatives, people have fear of the unknown. They look at Non-English-speaking countries and think because of language as a barrier people cannot make it in such countries. Whereas there are a lot of opportunities in non-English speaking countries, they have easy visa processing which is friendly, part to immigration and you will eventually get to your end goal - which is the most important thing for you. The end justifies the means which it comes to studying in non-English speaking countries.
I understand parents have the fear of the unknown. But if you don’t give your children/wards the chance to explore, you don’t get to know the benefits. Imagine parents sending their wards to Tier 2 and Tier 3 countries to study, after such huge investment on the education, the child returned home and still expect the parent to secure job for the child. This structure doesn’t sound fair to me. I don’t deal with Sweden and Finland they have great opportunities which people should explore. With recent happening is good for people to reside in another environment, and get to learn another language because being multi-lingual is very helpful. It’s an added advantage to getting a reputable job in that country. Further down the line, you could explore the opportunity of returning to your country and working as an expatriate. For example, Germany has a lot of international companies in Nigeria; if speak German, and have German Degree you can easily get a job as an expatriate in your own country with those foreign companies, Lufthansa have branches in Nigeria, you will easily shine when it comes to that, this gives you an advantage when you have been through the system. Commonly we have parents discouraging young youth they cannot do it because they didn’t do so. The world has changed, this is 2021, everybody cannot go to popular places so we have to look for alternatives for all our wards and give them an opportunity.
What is the best way to make a decision about the country you decide to travel to?
Don’t misunderstand me, a lot of all these countries you get to learn in English. In Germany, you study in English. In Holland, they use English and Dutch. Please, the parent should stop discouraging youth, a lot of the other adults, I mean - master students always try and make such decision for themselves and they don’t regret it. Stop taking popular opinions, or views. I feel people take popular option because of the fear of the unknown they always say they don’t have uncle, brother, sister or family members in such countries, and forgetting that Europe is a place you don’t really need to know anybody before you can make it, that is a working system. Knowing people in Europe has no relevance in really tapping into opportunities. The country at large has opportunities, especially Tier 1 and Tier 2. Like I explained earlier but leaning more towards Tier 1. Tier 1 will give you a good prospect. The best decision, the question is it depends on your why. What is yours why? Like I explained if your reason is to go and come back, pick Tier 3. If you know you are not really sure of coming back, or you cannot really afford much, pick Tier 2. But if you intend to stay back, meaning work and practice what you have learned – it’s more of Tier 1 and Tier 2, but more of Tier 1.
What countries do you recommend?
Countries recommended it depends on what course you intend to study – for Engineering is Germany, Business and Logistic or a wide range of courses in Holland, Oil and Gas in Scotland. I don’t really blame parents at times for taking decisions themselves, because they have not received the right counsel, but I believe the above formulae should be able to help you.
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Source: Legit.ng
