— brings students from Afghanistan, Gambia to study here
— hosts grand fundraiser this Saturday at Duke Lodge

IN keeping with its motto “Learning knows no bounds”, Nations Inc. will bring four overseas students to study at its ever-expanding New Market Street, Georgetown Campus.
The students, who are yet to be identified, will hail from The Gambia, a West African nation battling issues of poverty and Afghanistan, a South-Central Asian country which has been ravaged by war.

Founder and Principal of Nations, Dr Brian O’Toole, told the Guyana Chronicle that the students, who will be here, will pursue the Association of Business Executives (ABE) programme which will be delivered in six months. The students are not from privileged backgrounds and ABE and Nations have waived tuition fees for them.

At the local end, efforts are also being made to assist the visiting students. Dr O’Toole said Nations’ Sixth Form students, who are part of the school’s Student Council, have come together to raise enough money to cover the expenses of the foreign students expected here.

The expenses include air tickets, accommodation and meals. The Sixth Form students, thus far, have been able to raise US$5000. In addition, Sean Major of Publik Wing and Burger House, Bio Med Engineer, Courts (Guyana) Limited and Roraima Airways, have made donations towards the fundraising dinner.

The sums garnered, however, are not sufficient to cover all living expenses of the students, and as such, with the approval of Nations, the Sixth Form students will be hosting a gala dinner at Duke Lodge on Saturday at 07:00 pm.
Tickets for the worthy cause are available at Nations, Middle Street Offices at $5000 per person. Persons purchasing tickets at Duke Lodge, on Saturday, will pay $1000 more.

WORTHY CAUSE
At the fundraiser, art work and videos of Gambia and Afghanistan will also be on sale, and according to Sonia Ganpat, one of the students organising the event, it will be very much a worthwhile occasion.
“It [fundraiser] will enable Nations the opportunity to not only host four underprivileged students from Gambia and Afghanistan, but provide them an opportunity to have a quality education,” she said.

The students visit here is supported by Farzin Rahmani, who more than three decades ago, contributed to the upgrade of the local health sector through the supply of medical equipment and services.
Rahmani, a follower of the Bahai Faith, through non-governmental organisation (NGO) Zambian Gems, has done much charitable work in Zambia, Afghanistan and South Africa in the areas of education, health and entrepreneurship.

With the aim of promoting wide and inclusive learning, Nations has also engaged Full Circle Learning. President of Full-Circle Learning, Dr Teresa Langness, said the NGO seeks to help young people embrace their role as change agents and humanitarians in society. Its educational programmes integrate and expand students’ character strengths, academic excellence, artistic capacities and peacemaking skills in service to the global human family.

Full-Circle Learning serves communities around the world and provides training and monitoring of teachers; curriculum, music and ancillary materials to support sites; and liaises with collaborating schools to foster global classroom relationships.
Dr O’Toole, who was earlier this year bestowed the prestigious Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) award for his outstanding work in education in Guyana by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth 11, views the students visit here with much optimism.

“It is part of Nations efforts to really become a school of nations,” he said, pointing out that the school intends to attract more foreign students in the future.

EXPANSION PLAN
This, he said, is part of Nations’ wider expansion plan.
Currently, the western section of the building is being expanded to accommodate 26 more classrooms while the school, in recent years, has partnered with top educational institutions to offer new programmes at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Programmes offered at the top private school include MBAs, LLB, LLM, MA Education, BA (Top Up) Business Administration and a number of advanced diplomas and certificates from various awarding bodies, including the University of London, the University of Cambridge, the University of Bedfordshire, ACCA, the Project Management Institute (PMI) and the Association of Business Executives (ABE).

Through the University of Bedfordshire, Nations is also working to introduce master’s programmes in finance, public health, journalism and social work. These programmes are being offered at very competitive rates compared to universities in the US, UK and Europe.
“Nowhere in the world can you study for an internationally recognised and accredited MBA for less than US$8,000,” the Nations principal told the Guyana Chronicle, as his school prepares to offer a Doctor in Business Administration through the University of Bedfordshire.