Country Manager of Westerfield College UK in Nigeria, Karah Adu, has stated that the institution’s summer programme is designed to develop well-rounded children rather than concentrate solely on specialised subjects such as science or engineering.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, Adu said the programme combines leadership, cultural development, skill acquisition and personal growth to prepare children for future educational opportunities, while helping them develop independence and the ability to interact with people from different backgrounds.
“We are just like I always say in house, I call it a balanced diet. So it’s a bit of everything to kind of like develop a prepared child.”
She explained that the college’s approach differs from summer programmes that concentrate on particular academic disciplines.
“And so the unique selling point is that you’ve asked is for other programmes or for majority of summer camp programmes, there’s always particular about something. So it’s always very maybe about say science, about engineering.”
Adu emphasised that the institution’s wider educational approach is intended to help children develop early and overcome boundaries that may limit their learning experiences.
“So just like Mrs. Miles said, our goal really, in terms of education, is to blur the boundaries between kids, you know, how we say here, catch them young. So that’s really what we’re trying to do.”
On the curriculum, she identified leadership, cultural development, skill acquisition and personal development as central to the programme. “And so the key pillars that kind of like strengthening what we do is in terms of leadership, think of trips, cultural development, think of skill acquisition, personal development, and really for the kids to be able to learn a sort of like independence or some level for some of the students is their first time away from home. So knowing how to interact with other people and things like that. So that’s like the core curriculum of, you know, the summer camp programme and what we offer within the programme.”
Adu said the summer camp targets children between the ages of nine and 17. “ Our target audience for the summer camp programme are students between the age of nine to 17. So you’d agree with me that the students within this age are developing, the students who are trying to figure out what next student who are trying to ask themselves, is this the right course for me? Do I want to become a doctor or a lawyer?”
She explained that the programme is also intended to help children make informed decisions before progressing to further education.
“And so the summer camp programme just circling back to the fact that I called it a balanced diet, helps them grounded, helps them make an informed decision.”
Addressing the relationship between Westerfield College Nigeria and its UK counterpart, she said.
“So for West Africa, Nigeria, what we do is, as you rightly said, we’re six from college. And so we place students into different countries, UK, Canada, the US and Australia, Ireland, other places, right?”
Adu indicated that the summer programme provides an earlier stage of preparation for younger students. “So you would agree with me that the target audience for the sixth form are students who just finished secondary school and are looking to study abroad, right? So we are like the bridge in between.”
She added that students who participate in the summer programme can subsequently progress through the Nigerian college. “And so they’re able to then transition smoothly to West Africa, Nigeria. And of course, we assist them with progression and things like that to whatever university choice. So that’s the connection.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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