- ’Our $1b annual education investment is to build future leaders’
In its quest to achieve inclusive education for all irrespective of race, social strata and religious leanings, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has inaugurated the BYU Pathway Worldwide global education centre in Lagos.
The centre is well-equipped with modern facilities, including student workspaces, a technical laboratory for coding and software development, administrative offices, and a student lounge.
It is located at Opebi axis of Lagos and will serve an increasing number of Nigerian students pursuing U.S.-accredited degrees at BYU-Idaho and Ensign College, as well as help to foster innovation, collaboration, and experiential learning.
Speaking at the dedication of the centre recently, President, BYU-Pathway Worldwide, Brian Ashton, said the all-inclusive education provided by the centre is affordable, qualitative and an opportunity to bless lives.
He added that BYU-Pathway enables people to enroll at the university, U.S. and then study online to acquire the necessary university qualifications.
The resident said while students study, they also have the opportunity of getting remote jobs through which they earn income.
Ashton explained that BYU-Pathway Worldwide is a global higher education organisation that provides access to spiritually-based education for students, not only for members of the church but everybody who is qualified.
He revealed that some of the activities and services the centre offers through the PathwayConnect Programmes are programmes, where students can earn certificates and degrees in various fields, such as business, health and technology.
According to him, BYU-Pathway Worldwide partners with Brigham Young University-Idaho (BYU-Idaho) to offer online degree programmes.
“We have regular online gatherings that provide opportunities for students to connect with each other and with instructors.
“There are mentorship programmes where students are paired with mentors who provide guidance and support throughout their academic journey. There is the career counseling which offers career counseling services to help students explore career options and create a career plan,” he said.
He emphasised the heavily subsidised tuition fees and stated that the programme is open to all, regardless of religious affiliation.
Ashton stated that the church is based on blessing lives rather than making a profit, claiming that the online format allows them to reach students all over the world at low cost. Scholarships for nearly 50 per cent of tuition are also available.
Lending credence to the foregoing, the church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder D. Todd Christofferson, who dedicated the centre, lauded Nigerians and Africans for their resilience and hard work.
He encouraged them to stay on the covenant path and embrace the opportunity provided by the centre.
He also emphasised the importance of accessible higher education, citing the cost and convenience of online learning as key factor.
According to him, the church spends a great deal of money, over a billion dollars annually in furthering education opportunities of the rising generation.
“For us the question has been what can we do since it’s prohibitively expensive to establish a physical university everywhere that it’s needed in addition to what’s already present. What can we do to expand the opportunity for higher education to more and more of our rising generation and young adults generally. This idea of learning by online, learning online, is the way to make that happen we’ve discovered. And so BYU Pathway is online courses for certificates and for degrees. It’s a way of expanding the reach of Brigham Young University and the church education system far and wide without the cost, the prohibitive cost of establishing buildings and bricks and mortar universities everywhere that we would like to. So we’re thrilled that this can happen and that the opportunities can be expanded.
“My experience in Africa to date in different countries but especially West Africa convinces me Africans are intelligent, they work hard, they’re disciplined. All they need is opportunity and that’s what we’re hoping to provide. That’s what this does provide, opportunity.
And it’s scalable, we can expand as I mentioned since we’re not limited with the cost and expense of physical buildings.
“Our interest is learning of course higher education but for not just the purpose of the edification, the progress, the development of the individual but what it qualifies that person to do in life and to contribute. The president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints says learning is a religious responsibility and it’s for the purpose of being able to serve. Expanding our capacity, our abilities, our qualifications to be of service to others. We learn so that we can be a blessing in someone’s life and in the community.”
Speaking earlier, the church’s Africa West Area President, Elder Adeyinka Ojediran, said that the church play high premium on education and hence it goes out of its way to encourage people to seek and attain qualitative education.
He stated that through the BYU-Pathway Centre, many will get education, acquire knowledge and become future leaders.
Ojediran noted that the church’s investment in education is to make people self-reliant and useful to their home, congregation and communities.
He emphasised the church’s commitment to supporting the rising generation. “Our effort as a church is to help our rising generation grow in wisdom by gaining knowledge through education, grow in stature through healthy physical development, and find favour with God as they increase their spiritual learning.”
Ojediran who espoused on the importance of intellectual growth, moral development, and fostering a relationship with God and the society at large, assured that the educational centre would provide attendees with the knowledge to transform their lives and contribute positively to their communities.
According to Victor Ukorebi, Senior Area Manager for Africa at BYU-Pathway Worldwide, the Lagos centre can accommodate about 500 students at a time and is open to both members and non-members of the church.
“The centre is well-equipped with computers and internet services to support students’ online programs. With less than N400,000, students can complete a four-year degree program,” Ukorebi noted.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by several distinguished guests, including: Matt Downs, Chairman of the Career Advisory Board, J.D. Griffiths, Vice President, BYU-Pathway Worldwide (Global Education Centres), Hon. Prof. Lilian Oby Orogbu, Member representing Akwa North and South Constituency, Cecilia Ezeilo, former Deputy Governor of Enugu State and others.
The BYU-Pathway Worldwide Educational Centre is expected to play a significant role in equipping Nigerian youth with the education and skills needed to thrive in a competitive global economy.
