Why Nigerians in the diaspora are enrolling their children in schools back home

VANGUARD

The Head of School, Peaceville International Academy, Redemption Camp, Ogun State, Dolapo Fatoki, has said the need for Nigerian children born abroad to imbibe the cultural values of their homeland is the main reason parents are sending them back home to school.

She, however, expressed happiness that such needs are being met at Peaceville International Academy, which despite being faith-based, is global in nature and standards and could meet their expectations.

She stated this while fielding questions from journalists in the school premises.

“In most of the advanced nations, primary and secondary school education is free. So, if you now see Nigerians abroad, not minding that fact, and sending their children and wards back home to a place like our school, the motive behind such is to inculcate our cultural values and orientation in such children. 

“Here at Peaceville International Academy, we have about seven per cent of our students coming from abroad. Although we started barely three years ago, our reputation has really spoken well about us. We not only take care of the emotional aspects of the lives of the students, we are concerned about their spiritual welfare too.

“Normally, a school of our size and standards would shy away from being faith-based because of the thinking that we must not offend some people, but our values are drawn from the Word of God and we are still very much global in standards.

“ On how we maintain discipline which some people say is lacking in some western societies, we make use of the Word of God. If a student misbehaves, we let him know what he has done wrong and we use God’s Word to correct him. Such a child would somehow reflect on what he has been told. On our part as teachers, we also show good examples in our conduct. We serve as good role models to the children,” she said.

Fatoki added that the school, which is one of the many institutions set up by the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, has carved a niche for itself with top notch teaching and non-teaching staff as well as state-of-the-art facilities…