kaymd:

Fact of the matter is, if we are talking about quality of education, especially at the tertiary level and beyond, 9ja should not be mentioned in the same paragraph or even the same page as the first world western countries. Guys let's be frank, the difference in the quality of education is, for all practical purposes, like the difference between heaven and earth; particularly when it comes to science and tech based courses. Our science based courses here are a joke in all honesty. All we do is pass exams, education in these disciplines has essentially missed its purpose in 9ja. Afterall, graduates just get employed in banks and other FIs, a few O&G companies, and telecoms - that is the aspiration of many undergrads, forget about acquisition of knowledge for application in real life, that one is story.

I think when people state that studying abroad is easier, they are 'silently' referring to the subconscious inner conflict the average nigerian student continually experiences throughout his studying years, at least until he becomes fully disillusioned with the system. My point is, what appears stressful is analogous to the difference between playing football for 30 mins and walking to your boring job for 10 mins. Even though playing ball for 30 mins actually expends far more energy, you'll agree that you simply don't feel 'stressed' compared to a 10 minute walk to a job you detest that really isn't so physically tasking. I think stress (in this context) mainly originates from the inside; it is the state of mind of the nigerian student that is stressed out, not actually the volume of work because, detail for detail, we simply cannot compare with the sheer volume and quality of work obtainable in academia abroad.

Imagine engineering students that have absolutely no idea of the physical appearance of several machines which they routinely solve examination problems on; when you dont fully understand the solution to a problem, then just master the pattern of steps to solving it, because even the lecturer doesn't understand it too, and he doesn't even care. But a guy has to pass his exams and graduate with good grades, fully grasping the subject matter is immaterial, its not like you are going to apply it to your 'office' job anyway. Continous exposure to this kind of schooling has a wearying effect on the students, because it simply conflicts with a human being's in-born urge and desire to truly understand phenomena and apply the knowledge to his real life.

So in short, the students are perpetually stressed and frustrated, and they now declare that studying abroad is easier.

It isn't easier, it's only REAL study, not this facade that we call study here in 9ja.

If you have the opportunity, don't hesitate to grab the chance to study abroad with both hands (and both feet too), you absolutely will be better off a thousand times over.

I can't shout  

I have been  preparing  to take   my  masters  in  the UK but  I  wonder  that  it  would   be   odd being  in  a class with   people looking  , Well   much younger   than you am pretty much hugging thirty. For those already there what's   the age distribution of   an average   masters   class in   say   the engineering   field.
@ topic/poster
Never  having  schooled   abroad  I   could   never  tell which  is    harder    though I  would  imagine  that   regardless  of   the  "stress' that  we  passed  through   here it   could  never   be   as   hard  as  it  is   there. I mean I’m   preparing  to   take   a  top up    year in  a   university  in  the UK and the reading   materials/list   they    have   sent   me    is  absolutely  massive (control  engineering , digital   signal  processing, advanced   engineering  mathematics  and  microelectronics). I  covered   these   areas   broadly   in  my  undergraduate  studies (the  Nigerian  way)    but  the  reading  materials/list  sent   states  objectives  that  mean  I  have  to   cover about  three years   work again(self  study by  the  way) This  time   in much more  detail as  i  have  to have   much  more  than a  passing   familiarity   with  the  concepts    otherwise   I am  toast   as   soon  as  I  get  there.
The  fact  that  i  have   to  take   a   top up  year  tells   a story about  the state of the facilities for training the future technical resource people of this country.Oh  by  the   way   i  went    through n an   FUT: go  figure.

Hello guys, but i think no system can make you what you are not. Studying abroad forces you to learn because you have to pay for it. I have not stepped out of Naija, but I can take many MSc holders to the cleaners in my degree field as wells as my personal research project.

The key here is that we as a people love to be pushed and few are self driven. The bad thing there is that many who manage to become average get a sense of entitlement, which is what I hate in many foreign trained student.

Bottom line
You have not learnt anything until you can get it up and running in real life. That is why most Nigerians run to get MBA abroad even when there is nothing to manager

It is even harder applying our learning to solving Nigeria's problems, irrespective of where it is acquired, home or abroad.

I wasnt going to contribute to the thread seeing the plethora of responses and comments made on the topic. I am in one way or the other a product of both system. I have studied both in Nigeria( University of Ibadan) and abroad. There are strengths and weaknesses to all of the arguments made. While I consider my study in Nigeria as the foundation, I have to admit that studying abroad is tougher.  My school runs a quarter system, and gosh, you can die of heart attack considering the amount of stuffs you have to do in ten weeks. I wouldnt say much here cos so many people have responded. But in all both systems have its merit and demerit

Please remember that the assignments are also a way to keep your hands far from the apple tree, the JOBS. The lecturers don't love you, they love your school fees even if its borrowed

In Asia, they turn out good graduates without those tons of assignments. You are supposed to go to Uni to further a vision or at least a skill. That is what the original ones were for, not the American meal ticket a degree has become

my first year in Ibadan, i refused to cram and i made sure i read to understand. I came up with a 1.5 CGPA but i did not give in. I was hands on for all my IT even paying artisans to learn their trade. My focus was to learn not the degree.

As the years went by, the giants began to fall when the courses became more complex, and I started to fly. I read less and passed more. I graduated with a good 2.2

The so called bad schools laid the foundation for my 2 patents, taught me how to dig through well protected chemistry/engineering secrets, and above all learn enough of other disciplines that affect my work so that they don't rub rubbish off me.

It all boils down to what you are looking for in the first instance. Meal thicket education, or problem solving education.

Abestos:

my first year in Ibadan, i refused to cram and i made sure i read to understand. I came up with a 1.5 CGPA but i did not give in. I was hands on for all my IT even paying artisans to learn their trade. My focus was to learn not the degree.

As the years went by, the giants began to fall when the courses became more complex, and I started to fly. I read less and passed more. I graduated with a good 2.2

The so called bad schools laid the foundation for my 2 patents, taught me how to dig through well protected chemistry/engineering secrets, and above all learn enough of other disciplines that affect my work so that they don't rub rubbish off me.

It all boils down to what you are looking for in the first instance. Meal thicket education, or problem solving education.

You have done well but with your kind of drive, you might have done way better because you will have access to tools and materials that will feed your aspiration better than whatever UI provided you.

Abestos:

my first year in Ibadan, i refused to cram and i made sure i read to understand. I came up with a 1.5 CGPA but i did not give in. I was hands on for all my IT even paying artisans to learn their trade. My focus was to learn not the degree.

As the years went by, the giants began to fall when the courses became more complex, and I started to fly. I read less and passed more. I graduated with a good 2.2

The so called bad schools laid the foundation for my 2 patents, taught me how to dig through well protected chemistry/engineering secrets, and above all learn enough of other disciplines that affect my work so that they don't rub rubbish off me.

It all boils down to what you are looking for in the first instance. Meal thicket education, or problem solving education.

Concur

Let call a spade a spade.
Ocourse studying in Nigeria is much more difficult.

In Uk, it is smooth sailing - you have access to everything that should help you, I am sorry but you really have no excuse to fail in UK most especially if you are coming from the Nigeria system unless you are not serious.

You have access to past papers (most important ), 24hrs library at most universities, journals, articles, access to laboratory at most times, your lecturers is usually at your beck and call (just book appointments), not to talk of the fact that the environment is very favorable. Even if you work 20 hours week, as long as you plan your schedule well, you will be fine.

I don't even know how we can compare both.

^ you can't modify message anymore
One more thing, in Uk you are not expected to write and write and write and write some more
I have seen so many UK marking schemes for my alumni uni, as long as you mention the word they are looking for, they will give you a point.
All run of the mills UK university are easier than Nigeria universities, now were you to be talking about the big twos (Cambridge and oxford) then I will be inclined to agree.

Very Interesting!! I think I'm ready to study Abroad now,

[color=#000099][/color]I THINK ITS EASY THERE,COS YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES!!! SO ONE DOESN'T HAVE AN EXCUSE TO FAIL, SO I THINK AN AVERAGE OVER HERE CAN COMPARE,COS YOU'VE GAT ALL YOU NEED!!

[color=#000099][/color]I THINK ITS EASY THERE,COS YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES!!! SO ONE  DOESN'T HAVE AN EXCUSE TO FAIL, SO I THINK AN AVERAGE OVER HERE CAN *perform*,COS YOU'VE GAT ALL YOU NEED!!

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i am a usa educated registered nurse. I am originally from Ghana and schooled up to high school there. The education in the usa is much more difficult than Ghana. Nursing is very easy in Ghana and no offence, they don't know a lot of things. I had to take chem, anatomy and physiology, biochem, and math classes with students that were planning to go to med sch and pharmacy sch. I have classess in sociology, psychology, speech, english, foreign language, political science, economics, philosophy, business etc before i was qualified to take my nursing classes. A lot is required of students abroad than back home. A lot of assignments, research, interviews and practicals are required. For instance, a US trained nurse is expected to know the functions of all medications given, expected to know if the doctor is wrong in prescribing something and both will be accountable if the nurse gives a wrong medicine a doc ordered. I have friends taht went to college back home who used to argue with me over this issue and they all agreed after they started school here. Some of them could not even make it through the competitive programs. My younger sister did her high school here and they were teaching them college level math and science which i never had back home.

EMANY 01:



I have been  preparing  to take   my  masters  in  the UK but  I  wonder  that  it  would   be   odd being  in  a class with   people looking  , Well   much younger   than you am pretty much hugging thirty. For those already there what's   the age distribution of   an average   masters   class in   say   the engineering   field.
@ topic/poster
Never  having  schooled   abroad  I   could   never  tell which  is    harder    though I  would  imagine  that   regardless  of   the  "stress' that  we  passed  through   here it   could  never   be   as   hard  as  it  is   there. I mean I’m   preparing  to   take   a  top up    year in  a   university  in  the UK and the reading   materials/list   they    have   sent   me    is  absolutely  massive (control  engineering , digital   signal  processing, advanced   engineering  mathematics  and  microelectronics). I  covered   these   areas   broadly   in  my  undergraduate  studies (the  Nigerian  way)    but  the  reading  materials/list  sent   states  objectives  that  mean  I  have  to   cover about  three years   work again(self  study by  the  way) This  time   in much more  detail as  i  have  to have   much  more  than a  passing   familiarity   with  the  concepts    otherwise   I am  toast   as   soon  as  I  get  there.
The  fact  that  i  have   to  take   a   top up  year  tells   a story about  the state of the facilities for training the future technical resource people of this country.Oh  by  the   way   i  went    through n an   FUT: go  figure.

You have absolutely nothing to worry about there are over 30s in undergraduate engineering course, and the don't feel out of place if anything the younger students acknowledge their real life work experience. Age is nothing when it comes to education in the UK, as long as you are not expecting anyone to call you 'uncle' 'bros' instead of your first name, even the professors are address usually by their first name- the only person that knows your age is you!

We're talking about universities, that's a bit too far. Let's talk about our high schools, the secondary schools. I gave up on the Nigerian system of education, not when after my first two years at the federal university of technology, owerri but after my first term in ss1. I was in science class and i was all so eager to start learning everything and anything. I had a particular interest in chemistry right from jss1 so it was no surprise that the first subject i took seriously in ss1 was chemistry. A friend of mine (who, despite being told that he wasn't suited for science class by an aptitude test conducted by an external board for jss3 students in my school to determine what class students should be placed in ss1 (though the final decision lay with the student sha), still went on to join science class) had these two foreign chemistry textbooks i took serious interest in given that they were recently first published (like a year ago at that time) as against that supplied by the school (that was first published twelve years ago). Our chemistry teacher, a woman, had given us the subject outline for the term, for those of us that wanted to read ahead of classes. Of course i quickly delved into the foreign books as they were very clear, concise, illustrative and even funny (they had some cartoon strips drawn, i remember mr max atom and his three kids, neutron atom, proton atom and electron atom, lol.). Understanding basic principles of chemistry with those book was so easy. Before long, i was far ahead of the rest of the class in our chemistry curriculum.

Now, i'd calculation of empirical and molecular formulae in those books and they'd presented it in a very easy to understand and apply system so i started using it to solve problems on that topic. Now our first assesment test for chemistry was entirely on empirical and molecular formulae. I used the method i learnt from the books to solve the questions and got each of them right so imagine my surprise when our test scripts were returned and i got a big, fat zero. The woman then wrote at the bottom; "is this what i taught you?"

Or geography class. Our teacher had told us jupiter had twelve moons. An encyclopaedia reported that jupiter had well over eighteen moons or satelites. So when the first assesment tests came up and a question read "how many moons does jupiter have?" and i answered "eighteen" (i felt it would be silly not to be specific and write something like "well over eighteen", this man failed me.

Since then, i stopped trying to show any recent discoveries i've come across that contradicts or invalidate what a teacher has said. Whatever they said is to be swallowed hook, line and sinker, which i did, regurgitated it all on test and exam days and passed adequately. So you see why it seems easy here in Nigeria. Our lecturers don't want to bother with improving themselves and the fact that they're so egoistical means they'll also try to make sure that everyone below them stays behind them. It is a thing of pride for departments and lecturers to have mass failures and boast that "no student get an A in my course" not as a means of challenging them to strive towards an A but to inform them that he/she is the alpha and omega in that course znd they'd need to suck up to him/her to pass. In more civilized places, you would be queried if large numbers of students in your tutelage fail courses because it is your duty to provide them with the requisite knowledge to pass the coursr and if they fail in such large numbers, then it should be because you have failed in your duties as an imparter of knowledge.

its such a sick system.

Now, i'd calculation of empirical and molecular formulae in those books and they'd presented it in a very easy to understand and apply system so i started using it to solve problems on that topic. Now our first assesment test for chemistry was entirely on empirical and molecular formulae. I used the method i learnt from the books to solve the questions and got each of them right so imagine my surprise when our test scripts were returned and i got a big, fat zero. The woman then wrote at the bottom; "is this what i taught you?"

Lmao, and i can bet if you try to challenge her, you will be in her bad book forever!

Why are teachers/lecturers so dictatorial ?

this is a very educating and interesting topic on its own, points will have to depend on personal experiences and i can bet you that everybody that has contributed to this quote have a point and it worths your efforts contributing but the basic fact is learning abroad exposes you to lotta tins and the real world at largr irrespective of your background wether you are from a rich family or otherwise, the fact still remains that you are faced with lotta challenges abroad ranging from meeting up with payment of bills to satisfying your academic obligations, you are in a real world mehn if you know what i mean cos its not damn easy,

I think our emphasis should be on the quality of what is being taught and learnt and not on the degree of difficulty.Difficulty is a relative term and cannot be used as a measure of relevance and learning.It also depends on what we describe as difficulty,is it in terms of the content,environment,teaching methods,resources etc or is it in terms of relevance and applicability?.From my experience I can say that the Nigeria University education is more difficult owing to the fact that students are made to read abstract materials that have no direct relevance to their personality and the society.The learning environment,lecturers,curricula etc seem not to be designed in line with the aspirations of the students and the society.In my schools days in Nigeria,you would be made to attend a class in one location thereafter trek to another location of about 1km to attend another class,what a stress?.No access to the internet,journals etc. My girl was made to travel from Imo state to Unilag just to run a simple laboratory experiment,imagine the risk and stress!

In the UK or US,you learn what is relevant with continuous support from your lecturers and university staffs. In my class here most Nigeria students complain every time that they are taught nothing and are made to study entirely on their own.They ask,is this why we paid all this money? Our class mates from Asia only complain of the assignments.You can see,two different people with different orientations and learning needs.

One thing i like particularly about the UK and US education is the applicability and relevance of their programs.Here you are not being taught stuffs like what is,define,list or state but more applied knowledge that will require you to think on your own. Studying abroad also will be of greater benefit to those in Engineering and science based courses due to the abundant resources and exposure to practical aspect of their course.

In a nutshell,it is advisable,if not imperative,to study abroad if you have the resources.If not anything,the exposure and opportunity to interact with people from diverse background  is an added advantage.

@ Dis Guy
Thanks for answering my poser.I had been worried about that issue for a while.You have no idea what a boost that is for me.I am not about to ask any one to treat me as an egbon in anycase,am actually in my late 20's but i just had to round up significantly.
To aid my self study,as i had mentioned earlier, i make extensive use of mit-ocw and lots of google time but its not easy internet browsing in Nigeria is cool for small stuff but it's for shit if you want to do video and other bandwidth intensive applications.
What am i saying:yes infrastructure is none existent,yes knowledge materials are out dated and inadequate,yes lecturers are hardly competent to teach so one basically has educate himself coupled with their(lecturas) pecadilloes BUT because we surmounted these challenges we should not take it to mean we did the most work and others who studied without the deficiencies we made do with had it easy.

Postgrad studies abroad, particularly in the UK, aint easy at all. From the voluminous amount of data you have to cover AND UNDERSTAND for exams, the various courseworks and practicals, to the almighty dissertation. Oh, did I mention all those crazy researches you'll have to do?

But its definitely worth it.

hmmmm!!!

quite an interesting piece of advice dashed out by those that have tasted nigerian system and gone abroad. i must say thanks to all asundry.
my questions are

Currently ETF are about to sponsor a few of my colleagues to do thier masters (1 year), will 3 million naira be really convenient for this folks or must they combine with work?

i have not seen any thread yet that is dedicated to OPEN university (NOUN) where the merits/demerits of attending such cos i intend to pursue my pgd in the NOUN.
question
If u have or currently are studying in NOUN PGD, how efficient is the programme?

thanks to all

I STILL DON'T GET IT, WHY ARE SOME FOLKS STRESSING THAT EDUCATION HERE IN US AND UK IS EASIER because WE R EXPOSED TO D NEEDED RESOURCES? HELL NO!!!!!!!! DESPITE D FACT THAT WE HV THE RESOURCES,WE STILL GO THROUGH CRAZY STRESS DAT CAN SEND U BACK HOME,
IF U R DOING WORK STUDY, OH LAWD!!!!!!!!

I GRADUATED FRM YABATECH AFTER STUDYING ENGINEERING WITH A CGPA OF 3.42/4.00 . I WAS NOT WORKING OOO. I CAME HERE TO COMPLETE MY BACHELORS STILL STUDYING ENGINEERING AND NOT WORKING. I CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE, 9JA I DEY GO PARTY,CLUB N GO STILL CRAM N PASS AND GET MY 70% BUT HERE,THEM NO BORN MY FATHER WELL MAKE I TRY AM WHEN 70% IS JST A "C"
WHEN I WAS IN 9JA,I USE TO THINK EDUCATION HERE AIN'T THAT SERIOUS BUT WHEN I ENTER AM,ME SEF KNOW SAY NO B IMAGINATION NA REALITY

beloveeed:

hmmmm!!!

quite an interesting piece of advice dashed out by those that have tasted nigerian system and gone abroad. i must say thanks to all asundry.
my questions are

Currently ETF are about to sponsor a few of my colleagues to do thier masters (1 year), will 3 million naira be really convenient for this folks or must they combine with work?

i have not seen any thread yet that is dedicated to OPEN university (NOUN) where the merits/demerits of attending such cos i intend to pursue my pgd in the NOUN.
question
If u have or currently are studying in NOUN PGD, how efficient is the programme?

thanks to all

if the 3m is for their allowance after the tuition's been paid then they are fine
3million naira will only cover the tuition

abroad far more difficult!

Do you know the amount of papers you write in a month?
plus dat the profs still check for plagiarism

nethacker:

I STILL DON'T GET IT, WHY ARE SOME FOLKS STRESSING THAT EDUCATION HERE IN US AND UK IS EASIER because WE R EXPOSED TO D NEEDED RESOURCES? HELL NO!!!!!!!! DESPITE D FACT THAT WE HV THE RESOURCES,WE STILL GO THROUGH CRAZY STRESS DAT CAN SEND U BACK HOME,
IF U R DOING WORK STUDY, OH LAWD!!!!!!!! 

I GRADUATED FRM YABATECH AFTER STUDYING ENGINEERING WITH A CGPA OF 3.42/4.00 . I WAS NOT WORKING OOO. I CAME HERE TO COMPLETE MY BACHELORS STILL STUDYING ENGINEERING AND NOT WORKING. I CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE, 9JA I DEY GO PARTY,CLUB N GO STILL CRAM N PASS AND GET MY 70% BUT HERE,THEM NO BORN MY FATHER WELL MAKE I TRY AM WHEN 70% IS JST A "C"
WHEN I WAS IN 9JA,I USE TO THINK EDUCATION HERE AIN'T THAT SERIOUS BUT WHEN I ENTER AM,ME SEF KNOW SAY NO B IMAGINATION NA REALITY

lol

OK, so I DO NOT have any experience with education outside of the US. However, I can use some of my friend's experience. She said uni in Naija is more harder than the states. I feel like it is because she is married to a man who is stable financially and otherwise in the states. So working jobs to make money and to make ends meet isnt her issue. She also said it is easy in the states because most of the exams are multiple choice while in Naija, everything is essay. Also, she said that in nigeria there are only one round of exams unlike the states where you have test one, two, three and four, including the final in a sum of 4/5 months.

I dont know o. but in my opinion, the stress of a foreign student in a foreign land will be MUCH MORE higher than being in the land that he/she was raised. in the states there is no "i will go talk to a teacher and have sex with him and he will let me pass the class", in the states u have to work hard for ur money even if it includes working full time to pay rent and to make ends meet while working to pay tuition.

I think it all boils down to different things: what the person is studying, and whether the person has a relative or someone that he/she knows in the states in order to have a source of help when things crash.

exams are easy to pass because you are better prepared and also the environment is better than home

how can one get a full scholarship for masters abroad.

moroti:

how can one get a full scholarship for masters abroad.

get a school,gather their requirements and most importantly sit for either GRE or GMAT depending on ur inclination(whether engineering,sciences,management or social sciences).u have to score very high in either GRE or GMAT only then will u be considered for a tuition waiver(not 100%)