What Motivates Students from Sierra Leone to Choose to Study in the UK - Essay Example

What motivates from Sierra Leone to choose to study in the UK? According to the British Council statistics, there is a 39% rise in the number of foreign students attending British higher education institutions between academic years 1996-1997 and 2002-2003. A big percentage of this figure came from non European Union countries such as Sierra Leone. This expansion in overseas students sector is attributed to several factors. However, this report will explore the factors which motivate students specifically from Sierra Leone to choose to study in the United Kingdom. The first reason is Sierra Leone relationship with Britain as a former colony and protectorate. The United Kingdom and Sierra Leone share specific timelines in history. In fact, the country holds a unique position in the British colonial past due to its role in the Transatlantic slave trade. The earliest of which was during the 17th century when British merchants were active in the country because it was then a rich source of slaves. This historical relationship was to be further cemented when freed slaves who fought under the British flag in the American Revolutionary War, started to settle in Sierra Leone and founded the settlement of Province of Freedom. This settlement was located in the current-day Freetown. From then on, the country became a British protectorate while the United Kingdom maintained a colony and a naval base in Freetown. The Britain administered the country from 1896 until 1961. In this span time, there was only one known armed struggle against the British authority and this was in 1898 when citizens protested the imposition of tax to cover administrative costs. The British cultural affinity is the fundamental factor why students choose the United Kingdom as the overseas education destination. In a way, it bred other factors such as cultural, political and economic factors considering the period of colonialism. Political Factor Political motivation is one of the primary reasons of the first wave of Sierra Leone students to study in UK. As growing desire for freedom permeated, studying in UK was seen as a tool to advance Sierra Leone’s cause. David Killingray documented this fact citing that students and their organizations played an important role in the anti-colonial struggle. “They acted to put pressure on the Colonial Office, and to win the support of MPs and the British public... There can be little doubt that the time the students spent in Britain and their activities whilst they were here were extremely important in their political development and often of direct importance to political advancement of the colonies themselves.” (Killingray 1994:125) It was the political and social conditions in Britain that became attractive to students. The British tolerance on conflicting views and ideologies provided an environment for Sierra Leone students during their stay that contributed to their development. In effect, Britain and its freewheeling system and liberal educational institutions became training grounds for future political leaders of Sierra Leone. For instance, the current President of the country, Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, was educated in the UK. He took his higher education at the Cardiff College of Technology and Commerce and his Bachelor’s degree in Economics at the University College Aberystwyth, Wales back in 1959. According to the British Council (2006), despite high cost, there are about now 16,000 undergraduate students from around the world studying in UK. This is not inclusive of those taking graduate and post graduate courses. In a 2006 survey conducted by the organization and the Scottish Executive, 87% of the respondents referred to the multi-cultural learning environment as the primary factor why British education is attractive. The aspects that foreign students, such as those from Sierra Leone are inclined to favor subject expertise of staff; academic’s English language Skills; surroundings ‘a good place to be’; and safety and security. (British Council 2006) Overseas Collaborative Partnerships Another important factor in Sierra Leone students’ preference for British education is the existence of the overseas collaborative partnerships. This is roughly the same as the concept of franchising where British educational institutions accredit partner schools in overseas locations. The UK’s Council of Validating Universities refer to these franchising agreements as where “a degree awarding body judges a programme of study offered in another institution overseas to be appropriate to lead to a qualification of that degree awarding body. (Commonwealth Secretariat 2004: 163) Peter Scott explained the magnitude of OCP’s importance is underscored by the fact that two-thirds of the overseas student population in the UK or 19.2 percent of the total student population in the UK is composed of OVC enrolments in the academic year 1996-1997. (2000: 103) The Commonwealth on Learning (COL) is one of the organizations which spearheads this in the country as it also work on Open Distance Learning (ODL) in Sierra Leone. This was highlighted in recently held 15th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers Mid-Term Review in Freetown. Here, the country’s experience in collaborative partnership was discussed in the context of attempting to reconstruct the country’s education system which was ravaged by a previous civil war. Sierra Leone’s membership in the Commonwealth is central to the issue. The Commonwealth has initiated schemes to provide long-term post-war benefits which include educational services to its former dependents. The Britain-led distance education, as explained above, is now an emerging feature of the system set up in place. The provision of multi-delivery mechanisms in distance education, including enhanced ICT capabilities, building physical infrastructure in remote locations, among others are just some of the programs within the Commonwealth states in addressing educational disparity. (Commonwealth Secretariat) British Education The direct and indirect revenue from the overseas students in the UK is estimated to be around 10 billion pounds yearly. This is the reason why the government as well as the educational institutions continues to market its strength as centers of academic excellence. The United Kingdom Education Policy was recently updated under the Radical Plan for Education in England to address the growing needs of home students and overseas students alike. Here, greater freedoms as well as independence in schools are the main objectives. This tradition of constantly addressing students’ needs is important in the British appeal to international students. In conclusion, Sierra Leone is first and foremost a dependent of British imperialism for at least 65 years. That span of time has cultivated a sense of affinity between the two countries and its people. Hence, preference for British education is not surprising for contemporary Sierra Leone students. Secondly, Britain features a liberal society that tolerates diversity in the populace. Such environment is not only conducive for students but it also serves as an opportunity to learn comprehensively in the presence of people with different cultural orientations. References British Council. (2006). The International Student Experience. i-Graduate International Insight Commonwealth Secretariat. (2004) Commonwealth Education Partnerships. Commonwealth Secretariat Commonwealth Secretariat. Overcoming Geographical Barriers, http://www.thecommonwealth.org/Internal/33893/37889/overcoming_geographical_barriers/ Date accessed 28/3/07 Killingray, D. (1994). Africans in Britain. UK: Routledge Scott, P. (2000) Higher Education Re-Formed. UK: Routledge Read More