Louis Adekola, Programme Coordinator of The InterNational Education Africa Summit and Awards, emphasized the significance of practitioners and stakeholders in the international education industry in Africa gathering regularly to learn from each other, share best practices, collaborate across borders, celebrate excellence, and find inspiration for greater achievements.
International education company Laprinxo Consult launched a program that aims to provide a platform for collaboration among key players in the international education scene in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The maiden edition of the InterNational Education (TINE) Africa Summit and Awards will be held on December 7 and 8 in Ikeja, Lagos.
Louis Adekola, TINE Africa Summit coordinator, underscored the significance of practitioners and stakeholders in the international education industry in Africa gathering regularly to learn from each other, share best practices, collaborate across borders, celebrate excellence, and find inspiration for greater achievements.
Adekola highlighted various challenges in the African international education industry, including fraudulent documentation, infiltration by dubious individuals, fake study abroad companies, visa issues for African students, and limited professional development opportunities for student counselors and in-country staff of overseas institutions.
The theme for the summit is “Thinking Ahead: Envisioning the Future of International Education in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
For the TINE Africa Awards 2023, 469 nominations were given under 21 categories, and a total of 19 prestigious awards will be presented, including 18 voting categories and the highly coveted Lifetime Achievement Award.
Adekola added that the TINE Africa Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the international education industry in Africa and continues to inspire people both within and outside of the continent.
A study by Czech research company International Schools Database projects that the number of English-medium international schools in Africa could exceed 1,500 from the current 700, enrolling approximately 625,000 students by 2025.
Janet Ouko, CEO of Kenya-based Elimu Yetu Coalition, commented that historically, international schools catered primarily to diplomats and expatriates. However, nowadays, the wealthy local population and parents who send their children abroad for higher education are increasingly accessing these institutions.
International schools heavily rely on recruiting experienced expat teachers, resulting in competitive salaries and benefits such as medical insurance, housing allowances, and flights home during breaks. This, in turn, necessitates higher fees compared to local schools, as stated by Ouko.
