PHILIP ONWUACHI: MAKING IMPACT IN A STRANGE LAND
By Oki Samson
Engr. Philip Onwuachi, Founder, Philip Training Centre, UK
While some Nigerians are going out of the shores of the country to put the nation in a bad light, some others are doing the best to lift themselves and the name of the country. One of the second group is the admirable Engineer Philip Onwuachi, the Director of Philip Training Centre, United Kingdom.
Philip Onwuachi, a Nigerian who hails from Delta state is a force for good to the United Kingdom not just in terms of government service but also social impact. Philip went to UK to study at the prestigious Imperial College London but realising the educational need of his immediate community, he decided to fill the gap with his volunteering effort. The same volunteering effort has turned to a money-spinning venture for him in the United Kingdom.
Engr. Onwuachi shares his undying passion for Nigeria and the inspiring story of his sojourn in UK with Oki Samson of Trek Africa Newspapers.
Trek Africa: Can we meet you?
Philip Onwuachi: My name is Philip Onwuachi from Delta state. I am the director of Philip Training Centre in UK where we run a couple of colleges. Right now, we are about transforming to a private school, so the UK government has insisted that myself and few of my directors bring our police report as the process stipulate.
Trek Africa: What is education like in UK?
Philip Onwuachi: I have lived in UK for 17 years where I studied in Imperial College London. I did my masters and MBA in University College London. As you know, UK is a top country for studying. I would always encourage family and friends to come to UK to study. I studied two years in Unilag but I know the difference when I got to UK. Sometimes the infrastructure is not even there. For example, 1995-97 we still did PMP transistors here where in reality nobody is using it again. We run a fixed curriculum here when the day is for the future, the curriculum is always on the update.
Trek Africa: What do you do in Philip training centre?
Philip Onwuachi: We are kind of a bridge between secondary school and university. Students after graduating from secondary school (GCE or WAEC in the Nigerian case), there is a two year gap where you then do college education (maybe like JAMB, here). They come to our school where we teach them Mathematics, Physics, chemistry for engineering; or Biology, Physics, Chemistry for medicine and we prepare them for the university. So when they go to university, their first year will be equivalent to second year in a Nigerian university because the duration for a normal undergraduate study is three years unlike four in Nigeria.
Engr. Philip Onwuachi, Founder, Philip Training Centre, UK
Trek Africa: Do you have any benefit from the UK government as an expatriate working in UK?
Philip Onwuachi: To be honest with you, I wouldn’t say there are benefits except for the conducive environment that you have to own your business. The taxes is ridiculous, you pay through your nose as you pay 40% of your earnings. However, you get a lot in return for example the medical system, security, et al. If a student breaks his arm in my institution, all I need do is call an ambulance and they will treat him/her for free.
Trek Africa; For how long has your school existed?
Philip Onwuachi: I started my school officially about 10 years ago. Initially when I graduated from Imperial College, I worked for the government as a civil engineer from 9am – 4pm so I had spare time in the evening which I used to mentor African kids, take them off the streets, teach them Maths, help them with their CVs for free. Before you know it, two years down the line I had over 40 students. So the Borough (the local council) offered to pay me 820 pounds on a monthly basis for the services I render. This is apart from the salary I earn working with the government during the day. They gave me an office with a bigger space, it has a kitchenette, has a toilet, the government paid for it. But in 2008/2009, there was recession and the government contacted me to say they won’t be able to pay anymore. So I called the parents of the 40 kids I had then, I told them government is no longer paying me and that’s how the parents said why don’t we pay instead? Thus they agreed on 40 pounds a month and started paying, I wasn’t a businessman. And that’s how I was earning 1600 pounds a month. Two years later, I had 200 students and I employed about 25 teachers. Over time, the school grew.
Trek Africa: Would you say your story can be a source of encouragement to stop a Nigerian, a non-British in UK from engaging in crime and vices?
Philip Onwuachi: First, the country itself is a good platform for your survival. In Nigeria, things tend to go against you a lot. Another thing I have noticed about Nigerians is that they are not willing to take the leap, and guess what, we have many churches here and people pray for favour but nobody is willing to use that faith. They never try things out. So there are platforms to grow in UK, you can get jobs, you can get trained. You cannot have an excuse like in Nigeria. No matter how small, you can get a job so it will be a shame if you go into crime and vices.
