Education
Preparing Your Child for Study Abroad
By FBNQuest
Parenting is a full-time job no one prepares you for. First off, you are putting someone’s life, cares and burdens over yours consistently for the reward that takes the form of an indescribable love you feel when you look at your child.
That desperate desire to give this other human being everything that you never had and more, while always thinking about their best interests and preparing for their future. Such is the path of parenting which often leads you to make the move to prepare them for a study abroad in the first place.
Education is an investment that provides a firm foundation for the future and the better the quality of education, the higher the chances are of securing an enriching or fulfilling future, which is what you are probably looking to afford for your child or ward.
Although, affording quality education for your child is easier said than done, especially if you are considering education in a foreign country. But it does get easier with the right plan and preparation ahead of time, so you don’t have to worry about the next move to make for their progress. How exactly should you prepare to give your child this quality education abroad? Below are a few helpful tips for every parent preparing their child for education abroad.
Create a Checklist
Firstly, you will need to make a list of every requirement for your child’s education abroad. From information about the school and region you are considering to requirements for the study and immigration, you would need to take everything into consideration before your child leaves and tick the boxes once each task is completed. This will help you keep track of your progress and serve as a record of your activities, so you would not miss anything important. This list should include timelines, deadlines, cost implications, long and short term steps.
Review the Region, School and Course of Study
The next step is to work with your child to determine what their plans and aspirations are and guide them through choosing courses as you prepare them mentally for the journey. Also, work with them to choose schools that offer courses related to their shared plans.
Please note that Ivy league schools for example are not in the same financial category as state universities. These are factors that you should consider as a parent or guardian when you are making school choices with your child/ward.
Make Emotional and Physical Preparations
Once you decide to send your child abroad to study, you need to prepare them emotionally and physically. Prepare them to be independent, to be able to be away from home, to be able to make spur of the moment decisions without consulting you.
Also, teach them how to be financially independent. They need to know how to budget, plan and spend without you looking over their shoulders. Prepare them emotionally to be goal-oriented and remember where they find themselves, there is a goal and their eyes should always be on the ball.
Register for External Examinations
A couple of external examinations are a prerequisite for admissions in most Western countries. These exams differ by country sometimes and by the school too.
There is the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Test de Connaissance du Français (TCF) and Test d’Evaluation (TEF) for Francophone countries, International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) for the United Kingdom, American College Test (ACT) and Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) for the United States of America, Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang (DSH) and German as a Foreign Language (TestDaF) for Germany just to mention a few. Ensure your child is prepared for these exams and that their results meet the criteria provided by the alternatives you have both decided on.
Get the Required Documentation
There is an extensive list of documents that cannot be obtained overnight.
- A passport is extremely important because it is needed for them to even leave the shores of your home country.
- A Student Visa allows your student to live abroad for a specified period. Each country has a different application process. You can visit the school’s website for the embassy or consulate of the country they are travelling to. They should provide you with all the necessary details you need for the visa application process.
- International Certificate of Vaccinations should also be considered especially in light of the COVID-19 Vaccine which is now a travel prerequisite. As you prepare these documents, do not forget to make copies before your child leaves.
Schedule a Health Check
Schedule doctor visits before your child leaves. Some schools and visa application processes make health and medical checks mandatory. Ensure your child is in good health and can take care of themselves or manage a health condition on their own.
In cases where the child has pre-existing medical conditions, be sure to inform the school and make accommodation choices based on proximity to clinics and or weather information and convenience. Ensure to also get a health insurance cover that will step in if they need it.
Make Funding Arrangements
Securing citizenships, visas, enabling environments via vacations are fantastic and being proactive. However, it would be prudent for you to start planning financially even before the child is born.
Proactive planning will help you save money, take away the pressure, prepare you and your child for the future and generate dividends for the present. You can consider the products offered by FBNQuest that support children’s education such as the FBN Children Education Trust and the FBN Education Endowment Plan.
Here are a few ideas to help you build up funds for your child’s education abroad.
- FBN Education Endowment Fund – The FBN Education Endowment Plan is a goal-based investment management solution specifically created to help parents/guardians save for their children’s education and ensure continuity of their education by providing added benefits such as Insurance and Trust. The good thing about this plan is that it is time-based. It can span for as long as 5-10 years and as short as 6 months. It allows for flexible contribution plans so you finance hassle-free. It also assures that all education needs will be met.
- Liquidity Management – Stacking up shares and stocks and liquidating when you need physical cash is another means of planning for the beautiful future that you want for your child. However, there is a need to work with a portfolio manager who can advise you on what stocks and shares to buy, when to buy and then to sell to grow the education funds for your child’s study abroad. FBNQuest offers excellent liquidity management solutions.
- Mutual Funds – Mutual funds as an investment plan provides you with access to investment markets by pooling your money with the money of several other individuals with similar investment goals. This allows you to diversify your investments and assists with minimising the potential risks typically associated with investing.
It’s flexible and allows you time to be consistent at depositing or to just put in what you intend to multiply for future use. FBNQuest offers a wide range of mutual funds to invest in, including; FBN Money Market Fund, FBN Bond Fund, FBN Balanced Fund, FBN Eurobond Fund, FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund and FBN Halal Fund.
- FBN Children Education Trust – An educational trust specifies that trust funds are to be used for education. In the trust document, the grantor names a trustee and beneficiaries, and also specifically states your true intention and goals and details on how the trust money is to be used. You can create an education trust fund for your child and the Fund shall be locked up for an initial minimum period of 2 years before withdrawals can be made.
Conclusively, education on its own is an investment and giving your child the best is an investment into the future and this comes with a price. However, preparing and planning with a holistic strategy makes your child’s experience whole and hassle-free.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has announced the reopening of the 47 unity schools earlier shut down due to security concerns on November 21.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Federal Ministry of Education on Thursday.
It said that the decision to reopen the affected colleges across the country reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to safeguarding students and ensuring the continuity of education.
On November 18, 2025, over 20 schoolgirls were kidnapped by unidentified armed men from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi state.
Just three days later, on November 21, about 303 students and 12 teachers were kidnapped at St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Niger state.
In response, the federal government shut down 47 Federal Unity Colleges, and some states including Katsina, Taraba, and Niger also closed schools or restricted school activities, particularly boarding institutions.
Rights group including Human Rights Watch lamented that while these measures were aimed at protecting students, they disrupted learning for thousands of children, denied them access to education, and the social and psychological support schools provide.
FULL LIST OF AFFECTED UNITY COLLEGES
North-West:
FGGC Minjibir, FTC Ganduje, FGGC Zaria, FTC Kafanchan, FGGC Bakori, FTC Dayi, FGC Daura, FGGC Tambuwal, FSC Sokoto, FTC Wurno, FGC Gusau, FGC Anka, FGGC Gwandu, FGC Birnin Yauri, FTC Zuru, FGGC Kazaure, FGC Kiyawa, FTC Hadejia.
North-East:
FGGC Potiskum, FGC Buni Yadi, FTC Gashua, FTC Michika, FGC Ganye, FGC Azare, FTC Misau, FGGC Bajoga, FGC Billiri, FTC Zambuk.
North-Central:
FGGC Bida, FGC New-Bussa, FTC Kuta-Shiroro, FGA Suleja, FGC Ilorin, FGGC Omu-Aran, FTC Gwanara, FGC Ugwolawo, FGGC Kabba, FGGC Bwari, FGC Rubochi, FGGC Abaji.
South-West:
FTC Ikare Akoko, FTC Ijebu-Imusin, FTC Ushi-Ekiti, FTC Ogugu.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Online learning platforms, Coursera and Udemy, have reached an agreement to merge in an all-stock transaction, with the combined company’s implied equity value estimated at approximately $2.5 billion.
The agreement, unanimously approved by both companies’ boards of directors, stipulates that Udemy shareholders will receive 0.8 shares of Coursera common stock for each Udemy share held.
Upon completion of the merger, Coursera shareholders are expected to own about 59 per cent and Udemy shareholders approximately 41 per cent of the new entity on a fully diluted basis.
The combined company will continue under the Coursera name, and maintain its headquarters in Mountain View, California.
Coursera, founded in 2012 by Mr Andrew Ng and Ms Daphne Koller, is an online learning platform with 191 million registered users as of September 30, 2025. It collaborates with over 375 universities and industry partners to offer courses, specialisations, professional certificates, and degrees.
The platform includes features such as generative AI (gen AI) tools (Coach, Role Play, Course Builder) and role-based solutions (Skills Tracks) to support scalable and personalised learning. Coursera is used by institutions for workforce development in fields such as gen AI, data science, technology, and business.
Udemy is a platform that provides on-demand, multi-language courses to help companies and individuals develop technical, business, and soft skills. It uses AI to offer personalised learning experiences and supports workforce development in a changing workplace.
Mr Greg Hart, currently CEO of Coursera, is set to lead the enlarged organisation as CEO after the merger.
The board will consist of nine members. Six from Coursera’s board, including chairman Mr Ng and CEO Mr Hart, and three from Udemy’s board.
“We’re at a pivotal moment in which AI is rapidly redefining the skills required for every job across every industry.
“Organisations and individuals around the world need a platform that is as agile as the new and emerging skills learners must master,” Mr Hart said.
The combination is said to create a complete ecosystem of top instructors supported by AI tools, data-driven insights, and broader distribution, enabling more engaging, personalised, and dynamic learning at scale.
Projected operational efficiencies include anticipated annual run-rate cost synergies of $115m within two years after closing.
Udemy CEO, Mr Hugo Sarrazin said: “For more than 15 years, Udemy has helped millions of people master in-demand skills at the speed of innovation.
“Through this combination with Coursera, we will create meaningful benefits for our learners, enterprise customers, and instructors, while delivering significant value to our shareholders, who will participate in the substantial upside potential of the combined company.”
The merger is anticipated to close in the second half of 2026, pending regulatory clearances, approval by both companies’ shareholders, and other customary closing conditions.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Global cryptocurrency platform, Luno and AltSchool Africa, an accredited online learning platform, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at demystifiing crypto to 15,000 Nigerians.
The initiative at that scale makes it Africa’s largest crypto education programme.
According to a joint statement on Wednesday, this is a significant step in Luno’s continued efforts to strengthen trust in digital assets and support safer participation in the digital economy.
This is hinged on Africa’s fast-growing digital finance landscape where 33 per cent of the country’s population already engage with digital assets, and a rapidly growing youth population are eager to participate in the digital economy.
According to the statement, the partnership aims to bridge the knowledge gap by providing structured, practical, and safe crypto education.
This will be done by combining Luno’s experience in promoting safe crypto participation with AltSchool Africa’s capability in delivering accessible digital skills training.
“The course directly addresses the misinformation and financial risks associated with unregulated digital assets, while demonstrating real-world applications tailored to African contexts,” the joint statement added.
The initiative will be implemented in three cohorts of 5,000 learners each. Applications for Cohort 1 will be open from January to February 2026, with the course commencing in March 2026. Cohort 2 participants will gain access to the course in July 2026, while Cohort 3 participants will begin the programme in November 2026.
The programme will be led by Web3 expert Mr Abdulsamad Tiamiyu, who will provide a practical, Africa-focused introduction to cryptocurrency, showing how it can be used for saving, remittances, global trading, and entrepreneurship.
The curriculum consists of five core modules and is designed to be completed within three to four weeks.
Learners benefit from up to one year of access to all course materials, including online, self-paced video lessons, slides, quizzes, and case studies. The course combines theory with hands-on experience, where learners interact with wallets, exchanges, stablecoins, and research tools like CoinGecko and Etherscan.
According to the organisers, this approach gives learners the tools to confidently use digital currencies in everyday financial activities. Successful learners, upon passing the assessments, earn an AltSchool Africa Certificate of Completion.
Speaking on the partnership, Mr Ayotunde Alabi, CEO of Luno Nigeria, said: “This initiative is a crucial intervention in Africa’s digital ecosystem. As crypto adoption accelerates, formal literacy must grow alongside it, so individuals can benefit safely and meaningfully,”
“Our partnership with AltSchool Africa is a deliberate step toward that goal and a foundational investment in the integrity of the industry. By delivering structured, high-quality education, Luno is helping ensure that Africans can participate confidently, securely, and sustainably – turning what is often seen as risk into real economic opportunity,” he added.
Adding his input, Mr Adewale Yusuf, Co-founder and CEO of AltSchool Africa, said “This partnership between AltSchool and Luno is a major step toward financial education that truly serves Africans and helps people gain the knowledge and tools they need to understand crypto with confidence and use it in practical, life-changing ways.”
The programme is open to Nigerian residents aged 18 and above who are able to commit to completing it within four weeks. Applicants must have a Luno account or create one before enrolling.
Starting January, Interested participants are encouraged to submit application through the AltSchool Africa portal, with scholarship decisions communicated within one week.
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