Anthonia Sawyerr is the managing partner at ALTS Education – an education advisory firm supporting parents to get the best boarding schools for their children in foreign countries such as the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, and the United States of America (USA).
Sawyerr, who turned her hobby into a business, got the company established in 2010 when she identified a gap in identifying the right boarding schools for Nigerians who want their children to school in boarding schools abroad.
“I, as the consultant that I am, I tried to figure out how parents go about identifying the right schools, I wanted to know, are they just signing up just any school?
“Before then, I have this passion for helping parents get their children admitted to schools abroad. As a consultant, I kind of married my passion with my professional consultancy skills to assist parents to identify the right schools for their children,” she said.
The education advisory expert said the firm which started its annual boarding schools fair in 2019 to sensitize people on what is obtainable and how to go about getting the right schools abroad has as its vision to continue supporting Nigerian families as they invest in their children and the future of Nigeria through global education.
“Our motto is investing in our children and the future of Nigeria through global education. It is important to me that Nigerian students that choose to study abroad, do it properly, and get the best education that is right for them. They’re not just to fill spaces in schools that we get for them,” she said.
The serial entrepreneur reiterated that investing in children goes beyond money alone, it could be emotional and/or efforts put into a child.
She pointed out that ALTS Education would not want to see a child go astray because the school failed to do its duty, hence; they are committed to monitoring the affairs of their students even after gaining admission.
She maintained that in investing in a child, the firm looks forward to seeing children that will come back and develop this country at the end of their study.
She said that one of the challenges that the company had in the early days was the uneasiness it faced in getting schools to align with the vision of the firm.
According to Sawyerr, “Initially when we started, it was a little bit difficult to go to schools cum parents and tell them about our services, that we can assist them if they want their children to study abroad.
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“The door was shut against us because many schools did not like to speak to external bodies, you know, to consultants like us. Many parents also were concealing information.”
This she said is slightly different today as many schools and parents are now open to accepting what the company has to offer. She reiterated that when it comes to studying abroad, the company is always keen on finding the right programme, and the right school, and making the process easier for the parties involved.
“I think today, it is slightly different. They are more open now. And I guess it is because they can see the value that we bring to the process and it’s all well and good for schools to be up here,” she noted.
The career consultant said among other services the firm brings to the doorsteps of potential clients are that they visit the schools, inspect the schools and can interact objectively, and provide accurate information to parents.
Besides, she said that ALTS Education matches students to the right schools. That is finding out a child’s area of interest, and connecting him or her with the best school that will help bring out the best in such a student.
According to her, many of the schools and parents are now embracing and appreciating the value that the firms bring to parents and students in terms of helping them to find the next ideal school.
On how the firm can help students who are used to Nigeria / British curriculum cope with what is obtainable in countries outside Europe, Sawyerr said, “I’ve invested a lot of effort in understanding the curriculum from different parts of the world and understand how it aligns with Nigerians’ own, and to know where the gaps are.
I mean essentially if you’re learning English, it is English anywhere, Biology is biology, and Chemistry is the same no matter the country of study. Global education is a big thing. You have students going from one country to another to study; this tends to undermine the issue of the curriculum.
“Yes, curriculum kind of determines when and where you study these things, but the subject will not change. I think it is more about where you fit in, so students who are doing the British curriculum in Nigeria who are finishing year 11 which translators to grade 10 in Canada and the US, will be made to align.”
She explained that if a student goes to Canada for instance, after finishing in a school with a British curriculum in Nigeria, such a student who finishes in year 11, will not be required to A- levels. However, if such a student goes to England or other European schools, he or she will be required to do A- levels or the foundation programme.
