 All right, welcome back. It's still the breakfast on plus TV Africa this time around. We're moving away from security matters and we are talking about education specifically how You can get a quality education in the UK with a UK boarding schools exhibition are going on here in Lagos today We have two people the beautiful lady and a gentleman joining us this morning. Let's make welcome Natasha danger failed It is our pleasure and of course George, but thanks for joining us on the show Okay, let's talk about first of all, I welcome you both to Nigeria. How you find in Lagos so far noisy. It's wonderful Wonderfully noisy Wonderfully noisy. That's a first. That's a good one George. How's your experience been so far in Lagos? I think very colorful and very very very very vibrant. We're delighted to be here It's our pleasure to host you in Nigeria, but let's just get straight to the issue for today Education in the UK. They are I must say great schools are in Lagos What's at the advantage of getting to get an education in the United Kingdom? Natasha, I think in a similar way to in the United Kingdom. There are there are immense choices And I think choice is the key word We have an option some families are fortunate to have an option to make a choice and sending to the UK particularly from from Nigeria allows people to Possibly access the senior education in in universities. We have a lot of our students that come across From Nigeria who are looking to access the British University system And I think this gives them a great footstep into that. All right, so let me talk to you now, Georgia What would you say is the remark in different? What is the main reason as a parent while I would want my children to school in the UK? I think as as Natasha says partly it's looking further ahead to University and I think families in Nigeria recognize that a levels Done in Britain a really good way to access a British University So I think it's in some ways it's less about the school and more about higher education in university I know the vast majority of Nigerians will then return will return home once they've done that once they've done their degree and I think also it's about who you meet contacts networks and Life experiences of growing up with people from all over the world We have students from over 20 different countries at my school And I think it's a fantastic way of understanding cultural literacy and getting a foothold into the world of business Where you're going to be doing business with people from all over the world. I'm glad you mentioned the issue of uncultural Okay, fine because most people have this issue of uncultural shock. Let's talk about adapting and settling down You know, so how has it really been like a you know for students from specifically in Nigeria and West Africa per se. How's it how's the experience been like in terms of settling down when they get to the UK for schooling? Natasha, I think initially there there are three things that we have to be careful with with children at children of any culture The first thing is feeding them because food is a really important part Yes, it is isn't it and this is and particularly for African students that really feel the need to make sure that this is the focal part of their day This is where they come to be with family normally But the friendships that they create in in boarding environments mean that they have this great array of friendships around the food But making sure the food is right and supporting them in making healthy choices with that But allowing them to have access still to be able to contact parents is important But also making sure the foundation of those staff that support them the boarding schools in the UK a Phenomenal at pastoral care making sure that they know who they can talk to who they can ground with So just making sure they know who to talk to in the school Where they can get in touch with their parents and when and then understanding the routine But making sure that focuses around how they eat and eating well. All right, George. Let's talk about I want you to give us Maybe a bit of an instant how a student from Nigeria has actually thrived and adapted and to UK schools Of course, and I could give an example from 1953, which is when our first Nigerian people came to the school It is a long time ago. We've worked with with Nigeria for many many years I'm actually going to give an example of a girl who just joined our lower six so she's come over to us to do her a levels and She is the youngest of three siblings her brothers are both sorry her brother and her sister about the university in the US So she's very from a very globally looking outward looking family And she has been really welcomed into into the sick form into the boarding house She's made some cracking friends And I think that the sociability and the affability of people from Nigeria I think has served her extremely well in in making those connections and also the school is a place where Where people join at any stage of their education. So we're quite used to welcoming people Into into into the school who haven't been there from from the beginning And it's always been that home from home a real family feel and that comes actually from the students and the girls We're a girls school in the sick form It comes from the girls as much as it does from the staff And I think the the peer support that the girls offer one another particularly over the last couple of years through COVID Shows that they are they're so welcoming and you know I think that you get back what you put in and we certainly find that our Nigerian girls they put in a lot Natasha, I understand there is an exhibition today in Lagos Can you tell us more about it in terms of what to expect and Sponsors and all of that of course. So we're at the week Baker hotel from 11 till 4 today The sponsors were supported hugely supported by the High Commission British High Commission and the DIT alongside Mark Brooks education and Anderson education and they facilitated an opportunity to bring a number of schools Together we are here to represent our various differences and we have a diverse range of schools Here for for parents to come and talk to but the idea really is for you just to come and have those conversations See what options there are see if anything suits or simply just to hear a little bit more about what education is like in the UK So is it I'm sure is it thrown to the members of the public you could just walk in and walk it or how does it really work? Absolutely, so we're in the week Baker hotel and the exhibition is 11 a.m. Until 4 p.m. Today And we're there to talk about British education For the children and also to meet school leaders to talk possibly about partnerships I've had some great conversations with head teachers and school proprietors In abuja earlier in the week about our teacher training partnerships how we might work together there Whether we can offer seminars for the schools and indeed what we can what we can learn in return And so we'd love to welcome families parents children and also school school leaders, too Yeah, so Natasha in case one or parents just need to get more information How do they just go about? Getting that information in case that they have made decisions, you know to send just children to the UK for school Of course mark Brooks education that if you pop that straight into the Google handle He has a website that will facilitate that conversation in the first stages and then connect us Accordingly so depending on your wishes as a parent. Okay Share education shared experiences. How do we ensure that what has been learned and being taught from the UK is actually brought to bear? Not just to Nigeria, but of course the South region in West Africa George Yeah, of course, so I think that that plays into the students going home once they finish their education and their degrees and We met some fantastic alumni at the British High Commission in abuja who had done their degrees around Britain I met one lady who studied public health at the University of Aberdeen and She works over here in public health now. She came back straight away and that's I think that sort of Sort of feedback back to back to people's home country and we see that around the world And I think people bring back with them the the world view the experience international Connections and networks and an understanding of how to how to get the best out of people from all around the world and a real commitment To their home nations. Let's talk figures. Let's talk finances right now because most I'm really talk about schooling abroad In the case specifically most people just have to try and do a bit of math Savings how much do I have but first of all talk about time the exhibition for today? Is it a paid event and that's just on the one side and then again does it really cost so much to school in the UK? That's a sure. It's perfectly free to come and visit us today And so yeah, everybody's very welcome to come and join in there But but of course it's it's a paid education It's expensive for the English parents and it's more expensive for Nigerian parents because of course they have to fly them across But there are benefits to that and obviously this high networking that you can create out of that is a really positive bear on that So at the end of the day, it is like a win-win situation You send your children they get an education for the from the UK and they come to Niger to actually share their experiences and Get involved in nation building. Yeah, okay, but would you really say that? Africans Adopt easily In the UK system George absolutely I think there's you know the Nigerian students that we welcome into our school every year are so hard-working and dedicated and outgoing And they get involved with with being at the school for a very short period of time soon enough They're showing around my prospective families talking to them about life at the school and speaking really from the heart about their Experiences they get involved with sports. They get involved with drama. They're on the stage Learning musical instruments that they absolutely get involved with with school life And I think that the basious energy that we see here in Lagos and in Abusia to really plays out in what we see in the In the students when they come to us. Okay, just to emphasize Natasha We had 22 UK principles from the two colleges. Can you tell us about that? Sorry, so 22 UK principles from 22 colleges from the UK and Nigeria to support this. Yes. Yeah Yeah, we have we have a full range We represent Scotland right the way through down to the south of England Okay I think this is what's important is that is that that range and diversity of schools are there some of them are just sixth form colleges So very focused on the A level or the IB so concentrating on different layers of education within the system to all right We wish you all the best, but just before we'll let you go I just want you to emphasize or yet again the venue of This particular exhibition what is to be expected from all people who intend to participate? Natasha I think a warm welcome for sure. We're at the wheat baker, which is beautifully welcoming But certainly the heads are very keen to stand and have a conversation Just to hear a little bit more about the children that are out there But certainly some refreshments so come on and cool off or have a nice cup of tea, okay George anything to add before yes We love to as I say we love to meet families parents and educational leaders From from Lagos we're at the wheat baker hotel between 11 and 4 today, and it'd be fantastic to see you there All right. Thank you so much. I happen to speak with Natasha at Dangerfield and of course a judge But thank you so much for your time and we wish you a wonderful exhibition today Justin. Thank you very much It is indeed our pleasure. Thank you. All right. It is the breakfast on plus tv africa We'll take a quick break and we return with more don't go away stay with us