A recent email from one of my newsletter subscribers read (in part) as follows: “Tayo, pls can u guide me on university education in Benin Republic? Ranging from the standard ones to qualifications and range of tuition fee as well as accommodation.”
Sadly, I was only able to send her links to a list of approved universities published on the Nigerian Embassy website, and to the website of a client who is a top decision maker in one of the leading universities here.
In truth, what she wanted was a WHOLE lot of information that cannot be found in one place!
Here’s the detailed response I sent to her…
“I’m not sure what your understanding of my work is, and especially how I operate here in Benin Republic.
The truth is I do not have access to that kind – and volume(!) – of information on private universities here.
Even people who OWN or work in them would struggle to give you all you’ve asked for!
My Suggestions:
1. I have a client: www.nanaarnold.com who is a top decision maker in one of such private universities.
You may contact him via his site to see if he can help you.
Note that you take full responsibility for your subsequent actions in this regard.
2. Check with the Nigerian embassy.
The ambassador once published a list of accredited institutions and their approved courses at http://nigerianembassybenin.org/?page_id=633
You may wish to contact them for additional guidance.
3. I’m an entrepreneur based here.
My work in the area of web marketing/freelance writing brings me in periodic contact with stakeholders in the industry.
I can do a detailed survey of the accredited schools along the lines of your enquiry, and prepare a comprehensive table on which the different institutions can be compared, to aid your decision making.
But that would be a lot of work, and it would be for a professional fee.
Hope this helps
===End of email reply===
After sending the above email, I realized I could have added a 4th suggestion:
4. Consider taking a trip down to Benin Republic for a few days to see things for yourself.
Plan to come in early in the week – say from Tuesday.
You would have possibly printed out the list of approved institutions and courses from the Embassy website. If possible you could visit the Ministry of Education in Nigeria to get the list.
Indeed it is likely they would also be able to give you a more comprehensive list that includes all approved courses offered by EACH institution.
Armed with that, you would then visit Benin Republic, and go to the equivalent ministry of education office here, to obtain get the full contact details of the institutions on your list.
Once you get that, the next step will be to call and/or visit each one to find out the details you want.
If any have website addresses, you could start by checking them out online.
But only START by doing that…do NOT stop there!
My experience however strongly indicates you would be VERY wise to STILL plan a physical visit to each school to establish what they really have to offer.
Or what would be the point of traveling ALL the way down to Benin in the first place, if you then did NOT visit their premises in what is such a small country?
What’s more moving around in Benin is generally not a problem. So you will rarely have to worry about traffic or any other annoyances.
Final Words: “My Comprehensive Guide to Private Universities in Benin Republic” – Coming Soon
I did not like the fact that I was unable to help that email enquirer on such an important matter. Considering that I’m based here, and engaged primarily in freelance writing online and off the web (of articles, reports and guides on different subjects), I believe I should help out in this area.
So, that email has now made me resolve to do the necessary detailed research and investigation to come up with a comprehensive guide to “Private Universities in Benin Republic”.
I’ll offer it as a new information product from my website.
This is because it’s obvious – from what I’ve seen over the past 10 months – that many people (parents and students) looking for reliable and unbiased resources to help them make their choices.
Hopefully, what I come up with will fill that need, to some extent.