Azotsuru Bawa is a 21-year-old first class graduate of physiotherapy from the University of Debrecen, Hungary. She did not attend any formal primary or secondary school but was instead homeschooled using the ACE curriculum for nine years by her mum. She got distinction in the Cambridge GCE and proceeded to university where she graduated with First Class. In this interview, the graduate who hails from Niger State, talked about her experience and the factors that helped her in achieving the feat.
How did you come about being homeschooled?
This was suggested by my parents due to the ACE’s good curriculum, schools not offering it at higher grades, and the customisable experience it offers. Since it sounded like a good idea to me, I agreed without any hesitation.
Tell us about being homeschooled. What was the experience like?
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I would say overall, being homeschooled was a good experience. I could study at my own pace and really focus on what I was doing without too many distractions. Unlike regular schools where everyone advances with the curriculum under the same time frame, I had the ability to work and study in a way and speed that suited my abilities.
My learning experience could be curated to my interests with extra, additional courses. The environment I was studying in also could be made to my liking for more comfort and efficiency. A room in our house was turned into a classroom for me and my brother, and it was planned out with my parents so it could be the best possible for us.
As for the curriculum itself, the content and delivery were up to a high standard, and it was God-centred. At the earlier grades, especially, the exercises and reading materials were broken up with character-building stories to get one thinking, and these helped steer one toward a proper mindset regarding how to treat others and the standards to hold yourself up to.
The education is mainly self-taught, with the reading and educational excerpts included in each book (called PACE’s), being easy to understand and follow. As there was no teacher, it really helped build my critical thinking skills to get a good grasp of the subjects on my own. I had no problems with the material most of the time, and the few times I had difficulty understanding a concept, I did my own research and studying until I found a way to make the information understandable to me.
This independence with my education was an invaluable skill that helped me later on in university.
As for extracurriculars, I had the option to invest time into anything I was interested in. Because I was always home, this aspect was even more important. I went into hobbies like arts, learning musical instruments, sewing, crafting, and many more. Being at home, allowed me to invest more time into these things to develop my passions and hobbies.
Was there a time you felt like being in a conventional school?
I would say in the beginning, no. Towards the middle to the end of my time being homeschooled, I did wonder what my life would have been like if I had gone down the path of conventional schooling. It wasn’t that I regretted the decision in any way. It was mainly just curiosity. My parents did often ask if I still wanted to continue being homeschooled and if I wanted to go back to conventional school, but that feeling never grew more than a curiosity. Because of this, I never took them up on that offer. I was content with the education, environment, and the system which I had adjusted to fit myself.
Do you think you missed anything by not being in a conventional school?
I’d say I don’t miss anything from not being in a conventional school, especially from an educational point of view. The only thing that I might have missed out on is the social aspect of conventional school, such as having groups for extracurriculars, playing sports together, and similar activities.
I’d say the social aspect was made up in a sense by being more active in Sunday school, and also by having meet-ups with other home schoolers.
At first, the only meet-ups that were held were abroad, but as the community in-country grew, we were able to have meet-ups locally with other home schoolers and many different activities. It still was less frequent than the interactions I’d have had in a conventional school, but for me personally, I prefer being able to be alone when I like, and being able to socialize when I like.
Considering it was just you and your mum, what was your social life like after you joined a conventional higher institution?
When I first came to university, especially since it was abroad and far away in a country where English isn’t the official language, it did take some time to get used to. This factor did help all the international students become closer, as we were all in the same boat, and it made it easy to socialise and get to know everyone. Because of this, socialising wasn’t an issue.
I learned that the main thing with socialising and getting to know people is having common ground. Once someone else and I had a topic of common ground, then everything from there was smooth sailing. This was especially true when studying the same course, because we all automatically had something in common, and then we could branch off from there.
Having graduated with a first class, what do you think is the most important factor in achieving that?
After graduating and now looking back, I can see two main skills that were gained from being homeschooled that aided me throughout my years in university. Firstly, is the fact that I had to do a lot of learning and research on my own.
Sitting alone in my flat to study and finding efficient ways to break down information was quite easy for me. This was especially true during the COVID pandemic when universities switched to online learning. It was just like back in my days of homeschooling to me.
Secondly, in having to plan out my work on my own to make sure I did the work I needed in a timely manner while being homeschooled, this helped me plan and organise the way I studied so it would be at a pace that suited my needs. Even if others around me seemed to be covering more material in less time while studying, I stuck to what I knew worked for me. This helped me perform to the best of my abilities without getting too burnt out, while still yielding good results grade-wise.
Additionally, but most importantly, was God’s grace and guidance throughout my academic career, because without God, none of this would have been possible.
Will you recommend homeschooling for others considering it is not a popular practice in Nigeria?
I’d say overall, I’d recommend it, but there are a few main factors to consider. These are the personality of the student, the ability of the student, and family and home situation. Depending on the factor, homeschooling can either be recommended, or conventional schooling might be a more feasible option.
Overall, I’d say if it’s possible, I’d recommend homeschooling as I think it’s quite beneficial, despite it not being popular.
Firstly, we can start with the personality of the student. Although there are still many outlets of socialisation available to homeschooled students, it’s still less than that of a conventional school. For those people that are very extroverted and thrive in situations when they are around people, it might not be the best for them.
The accessibility of such groups depends on where you are located though. Other students, even with these additions, may still just prefer a conventional school. Some students that like more alone time might thrive in the environment homeschooling provides, and they might prefer it over a conventional school. It really just depends on the person.
Another aspect is the ability of the student. For example, for students who need more guidance and might have some learning difficulties, homeschooling can provide a good support system for them. Extra resources can be made available, such as a tutor and special learning materials. They won’t have to be rushed to keep up the pace with other students.
In some cases though, homeschooling might not be a feasible option. For example, in homes where both parents are working and busy, a conventional school might be a better idea. Even though most of the learning is self-done, some supervision is still needed, especially in the earlier grades.
What role did your parents play in your feat?
I’d say my parents played a big role in me getting to this point. They helped provide mental support throughout my studies. They made sure the area I was studying in was as good as it could be, so I could study in an environment that was both comfortable and boosted my efficiency. They made sure to always provide me with the learning materials I needed, so I wouldn’t feel like I was missing part of the knowledge I was supposed to learn.
They provided many outlets for hobbies so I could grow my passions and discover things I enjoyed.
In university, they made sure my needs and cares were provided for, so I could fully focus on studying. Without all the things they put into my education, none of this would have been possible, and I’m very grateful and thank God for their support.
What advice do you have for people who want to follow your path to education?
I’d say for those interested in homeschooling, do your research on the best way to go about it, and take a leap of faith. Homeschooling helps build individuality and a sense of self that can prepare you for your life in the future.
Also, just because it’s done at home, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be taken seriously. It still takes a lot of work and dedication, just like any other form of education.
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