By Gabriel Dike
Nigerian students and their parents are now looking up to Ghana as the destination for students desirous of good education. They cite incessant strikes in Nigeria’s public universities and the high fees of the private ones as reasons for going elsewhere.
For eight months, February 14 to October 15, 2022, students were at home due to the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which stalled academic activities.
To fill this void, last week, for two days, 16 Ghanaian public and private universities were in Nigeria to recruit and offer admissions to students. The institutions, through the Ghana Expert Promotion Authority (GEPA), under the auspices of the Ghana High Commission in Nigeria, participated in scouting for new students.
The international student recruitment fair was for all levels, undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD. The Hall of Providence Hostel, Ikeja, Lagos, was filled to capacity with students from different secondary schools, parents and postgraduate students, among others. Even those who graduated from SS3 in 2022 were in attendance.
The students and parents interacted with representatives of the 16 universities. Those who qualified were offered instant admission and others got provisional admission, until they produce their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results.
Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Rashid Bawa, said the commission in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos have over the years been assisting some institutions in reaching out to prospective students in Nigeria to acquire degrees in Ghana. He was represented by the Consul General in Lagos, Hajia Samata Bukari.
The commission also organised a seminar and orientation in Abuja and Lagos, respectively, at the instance of individual universities. Bawa said: “Some universities also participated in trade fair in Lagos and Abuja. These efforts have largely contributed to the large number of Nigerians in various Ghanaian educational institutions, from primary to tertiary.
“With foreign student population of over 5,000 in its institutions, Ghana is positioned to become the Mecca for students from Africa, the Caribbean and many parts of the world.”
Chief executive officer, GEPA, Mr. Albert Diwura, said: “Many reasons account for the gravitational pull Ghana has regarding students from the region. GEPA recognises the need to work with its universities to position education as an exportable offer in the non-traditional exports basket.”
A retired educator, Mr. Ogunyemi Adedeji, told The Education Report: “That strike is one of the reasons I want my son to attend a university in Ghana. I have a daughter, a final-year student at Ondo State University of Science and Technology. She ought to have graduated. Her friends who attended private universities graduated over a year ago.
“The ASUU strike stalled her graduation. Because of the incessant strike in our universities, I brought my son to the fair to see the possibility of him going to Ghana for his university education.
“ASUU strikes have affected the quality of graduates universities churn out. Our universities produce half-baked graduates. Also, the fee is one of the considerations. I will look at the exchange rate too.”
Chief Silas Nwachukwu, a Lagos-based businessman, said: “When it comes to quality of education, give it to Ghana. The results are there to show, with many Nigerians who graduated from many of the universities.
“Strike is the second factor. Four-year programme in Nigerian universities will stretch to five, six years. But, in Ghana, students know when they will graduate.’’
Proprietor, Ferscoat International School, Ayobo, Lagos, Pastor Felix Opata, said: “There is academic stability in Ghana’s university system. There is no frequent strike, unlike in Nigeria.
“Ghana’s government pays more attention to education. The government operates free education at secondary school level. It also pays attention to teacher education.”
A former student of Ferscoat at the event, Alebiosu Oluwaseyi, said: “I came to seek admission into any of the Ghanaian universities because Nigerian universities make education difficult with incessant strikes.
“Students that finished secondary school in July 2022 are still waiting because of ASUU strike. Even when we gain admission, we don’t know when we will graduate. In Ghana, there is no strike. Students graduate after four or five years, depending on the course.
“My parents are in support of my going to Ghana for my university education. I am happy for the opportunity the fair afforded I and others to seek admission. I intend to study Communication Studies in Central University.”
Elizabeth Adebisi, SS3 student of Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos, wants to study Medicine or Computer Science: “You know what is currently happening in our country. Students have been at home for eight months. I don’t want to be part of that in future. Strike is part of my reasons for looking at the Ghanaian option. I am also interested in their culture. I also want to leave the country and study uninterrupted.”
Director of admission, Academic City University College, Ghana, Shannan Akosua Magee, said: “We are interested in Nigerian students who, after graduation, can solve African problems and take the centre stage in leapfrogging the continent to greater heights.
“The current president of the students’ union is a 400-Level student from Nigeria. We are the only institution whose students go for internship from 100 Level.
“The university is in Nigeria to search for the best brains. Every student will learn coding from 100 Level. ‘Doing Business in Africa’, is a compulsory course for every student.
“Academic City University College and another university in Rwanda are the only two institutions in Africa offering Robotic Engineering. The 17 programmes offered by the university are accredited. Scholarship to students goes with laptop, meals and other study items to make learn worthwhile for such brilliant students.”
Head, management and public Administration Department, Central University, Ghana, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah, recalled: “Three years ago, the institution through GEPA visited Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt to scout for Nigerian students. We offer instant admission. Our tuition fee is afforded.
“The collaboration between the two countries in the area of education is robust. We have about 215 Nigerian students. We don’t compromise on standard. We run several courses, which are accredited. We have seen some students that are willing to take up admission with us.”
Assistant Registrar Adwoa Abrakwa, University of Ghana, Adwoa AbrKwa, claimed: “Our university is the best in West Africa. It has modern teaching faculties, nurtures the next work-ready-graduates and postgraduates, alumni in reputable industries across the world. This gives industry edge and links. It provides and expose students global perspective and experiences.”