Why Nigerians Studying Abroad Are On Increase

According to the survey conducted, 40% of Nigeria students are Brain Drain in the Western World. The system of education in Nigeria is the 6-3-3-4, in which every Nigerian child is expected to start school at the age of six-year-old. The receiver of the education is expected to spend six years in primary school, three years in junior secondary school, three years in senior secondary school and four years in the university. Although, some recipients of the education might spend six to ten years in the university if they would like to study courses like medicine or law. Nevertheless, the study of four or six years could take the recipients of education eight to ten years to finish due to the strike actions.

Most time, the public secondary schools and universities go on strike for various reasons and this is one of the major challenges for students in Nigeria. This is why there is more brain drain, as many Nigeria students who traveled overseas to study, never returns to their own country. In the past, Nigeria education program use to be one of the best in Africa and most of her students can compete favorably with Europeans students. For example, people like Professor Wole Yinka, Chinua Achebe, or even Adebayo Ogunlesi of the Mr Trump cabinet; Adebayo had his early education in Nigeria at Kings College before leaving the country to study abroad.

Speaking with Nurudeen Owodunni, an international education consultant. He is the founder of Glide Global Consult, his firm represents universities abroad and he provides services for students in Nigeria who are genuinely traveling for the purpose of education, he makes reference to the media press of the Nigeria minister of education, during the past President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Professor Ahmed Rufai, the ex- Minister of education stated in her press release that about 1.9 millions Nigerians sat for the UTME examination, which was the entrance examination for admission into the Nigeria‘s tertiary colleges and universities but she emphased that both the colleges and universities in the country can only admit six hundred thousand (600,000), students leaving about 1.3 millions students out of school. What a disturbing statistic!

´´The system of education in Nigeria is seriously deteriorating because the government and the citizens has not really changed the old conception about education. There is a big different between going to school for the certificates and going to school for knowledge. ´´Many Nigerians are going to school to obtain degree certificates and not going to school for knowledge, the reason for this aberration is not far fetched. The demands for certificates is at the forefront to any employment procedures in Nigeria. Everybody just want to go to school and obtain the degree certificate.ˋˋ He added.

He also talks about the effect of foreign education on Nigeria students. He stated in his words that instead of the foreign education helping Nigeria, it’s the reverse we see- brain drain our citizens.

Despite all the stress some students go through in Africa (Nigeria), some of them still can’t secure a good job after graduating from the college or university. Many ended up, establishing small businesses or taking the job different from their professional careers.

All these and many more compound the frustration of parents and consequently forcing the rich ones to send their children abroad for a sound and effective education.