By Olakunle Agboola – Over the years, the United Kingdom has been a major attraction for many African students among other popular European countries. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is throwing much light on a mass exodus of international students from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East every year.
Ukraine has been home to over 76,000 foreign students, according to government data from 2020 and nearly a quarter of the students are from Africa, with the largest numbers coming from Nigeria, Morocco, and Egypt.
What Makes Ukraine Education to be attractive?
Ukraine is a post-Soviet Eastern European country of 42 million people bordering Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, and Russia. Ever since the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the declaration of Ukraine’s independence in August 1991, Ukraine has struggled amid high levels of corruption and political instability to maintain social cohesion and establish better Ukrainian institutions.
Ukrainian universities are now seen as a gateway to the European job market, offering affordable course prices, straightforward visa terms, and the possibility of permanent residency.
This has become a major reason many African most especially medical students have found it attractive and have left in their numbers. Bade Thomas, a Nigerian and a medical student at the University of Kyiv said ‘he was attracted to a relaxed and serene environment coupled with low cost of living compared to other European countries’’.
‘’Ukraine became attractive as a result of the ASUU (Academic Staff Union of Universities) strike in Nigeria. I was already a 100 level student studying Medicine at the University of Ibadan. I had spent three months at home when my parents got tired and started looking for schools in Europe to further my education. Ukraine was on the top lists due to affordable schools fees and accommodation”
Ebun Adeniyi also had a similar experience and did not waste time with the ASUU (Academic Staff Union of Universities) strike or joining thousands of graduates seeking a good job after graduation, the parents did all for her to study in Europe.
“ We hardly go to public Universities in my house due to the ASUU strike. I had my two brothers finish from Covenant University but they had to travel to the UK for their masters and today they are very ok with good jobs. This is the intention of my father being the last born that I should have a taste of my undergraduate studies and masters in Europe to secure a good job. And when looking for an affordable University in Europe, Ukraine Universities was on the top lists. We quickly settled for Ukraine and that was how I found my way to the country”.
The ordeal Experience in Ukraine
Ukraine halted all civilian flights when the invasion began on 24 February. African governments have been all out to evacuate their citizens from the country, with some organizing flights back home to those who make it across the border.
Ghana was the first African nation to welcome home a group of students last week. John Mensah grins with the joy of landing in Ghana Airport after a terrible experience he faced in Ukraine.
“I’m feeling grateful to God that I am back home. The war experience in Ukraine will leave with me but I am grateful I am safe”
Nigeria also offered flights for those wishing to return via Romania, Hungary, and Poland. The airport last week was filled with parents/Guardians waiting for the return of their kids. At the arrival, Adeoye Ibukun said there is nothing like a world free of war and never pray for anyone to experience what she went through in Ukraine.
“ This experience will live with me forever but I will do all in my capacity to preach and promote peace among the nations of the world because there is nothing good about conflict or war. I am yet to fathom how a beautiful country like Ukraine has become a shadow of itself. In all, I thank God that I am back home”
The Ukrainian government has launched an emergency hotline for Africans and Asians fleeing, according to the foreign minister. In a tweet, Dmytro Kuleba said the authorities were “working intensively” to ensure the safety and passage of African and Asian students.
Take a home lesson from Ukraine
There has been a huge investment in education by most African students who are not sure if they will finish their education. A lot had been stuck not knowing the way out of this menace.
Ibidapo Obe, a fifth-year medical student at the Ternopil National Medical University, was a year away from graduating when the Russian troops invaded. He is sick not knowing what to do because he has all his documents in the school and could not think of a transcript now that the country has been invaded.
Hungary and Ghana have announced that some students who had fled Ukraine will be allowed to complete their studies in Hungarian universities. They will provide space and resources and the students will pay the same fees as in Ukraine. But it is not clear how many African and Asian students will be covered by this deal.
Patrick Tokodi, a Kenyan and social commentator living in the UK is a bit worried by the present reality of many African students and the future of African states. Speaking to him via WhatsApp call, he thinks that African leaders need to come together and address this shame lingering on their shoulders.
“ How many Chinese students do we have in Ukraine? I think we have more Indian students if we are talking about Asia continents. Why you don’t have more Chinese seeking foreign education is because their leaders and government have done so well in putting their country together. Twenty years ago, Chinese were everywhere parading Europe and American Universities but today Chinese Universities are now taking foreign students.
It is not a problem being a developing nation but we should strive to grow like China. Economists generally attribute much of China’s rapid economic growth to two main factors: large-scale capital investment (financed by large domestic savings and foreign investment) and rapid productivity growth. It must be a deliberate and concerted effort of African leaders coming together for a change or else we will continue to be the ridicule and mockery of the world.
We need to invest in our education and promote courses that are relevant to our problems. This is the only way to grow as a continent. More also, the government’s job is to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. Good roads, portable water, electricity, access to funds and research coupled with killing corruption by all possible means is not too difficult to achieve as this is the only gateway to having a better society”
Ukraine’s invasion with African students finding a way of escape through the borders and many not coming back to their home country has continued to generate a lot of traffic and concern on social media.
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