Visit Egypt

Egypt is one of the most attractive destinations in the world because of its pyramid and the mummies. No one visits Egypt without going to see the pyramid. 

Egypt is one of the hottest and sunniest countries in the world with the exception of a strip along the Mediterranean cost, Egypt has a desert climate.

Egypt links northeast Africa with the middle east dating back to the time of Pharaoh.

Millennia-old monuments sits along the fertile Nile River Valley, including Giza’s colossal pyramids and Great Sphinx as well as Luxor’s hieroglyph-lined Kmak Temple and Valley of the kings/ tombs.  The capital Cairo is home to Ottoman landmarks like Muhammed Ali Mosque and the Egyptians museum, a trove of antiquities.

           Here are 15 facts about Egypt that you might not have heard of

1.      Egypt is the third-largest populated country in Africa                 

2.      Egypt is a transcontinental country. The Sinai Peninsula is a land bridge between the Northeast of Africa and the southwest of Asia.

3.      Egypt is home to the longest river in Africa                           

4.      The statue of Liberty was originally intended for the Suez capital

When French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi first had the idea to build a statue of a peasant woman, dressed in robes and holding up a massive torch, he originally wanted it to stand at the entrance of Suez Canal with the name “Egypt bringing light to Asia”. Nothing came of the project, but Bartholdi persevered with his idea, and was eventually commissioned to build the statue in New York Harbors. “Liberty enlightening the world” was unveiled in 1876, seven years after the suez canal was finished.

5.      Caira is the third-largest city in Africa. Love the buzz of a big city? You’ll love Cairo, Egypt’s capital. It’s home to 10 million people, making it the highest populated city in Africa bar two. Kinshasa (DR Congo) and Lagos [Nigeria] both have populations of more than 15 million.

6.      The last ancient wonder of the world is in Cario: The great pyramid of Khufu is the biggest of the pyramid of Giza and is the last ancient wonder of the world left standing.

The remaining 6 wonders of the ancient world have all been destroyed over the last centuries.

They are [or were]: The Hanging Gardens of Babylon [Iraq], The Temple of Artemis [Turkey], The Statue of Zeus (Greece), The Mausoleum of Halicamassus (Turkey), Colossus of Rhodes (Greece) and the Lighthouse of Alexandria [Egypt].

7.      The largest food court in the world is in Cario: Oasis, Cairo’s behemoth of a food court restaurant taking up to 41,000 square meters and seating more than 4,000 diners at a time.

8.      Alexandria is named after Alexander the Great.

9.      The world’s largest embarkment dam is in Egypt.

10.   Egypt is home to seven UNESCO sites.

11.   The Pyramids of Giza were once bright white.

12.   The Pyramids weren’t built by slaves.

13.   Ancient Egyptians believed that makeups had healing powers.

14.   Ancient Egyptians invented the 12-month calendar.

15.   Egypt borders two seas.

   The country boasts of over 1,800 miles of coastlines divided between the red sea to the east and the Mediterranean Sea to the north.

Now that you know the amazing facts about Egypt, here are places to visits in Egypt:

1.      Ras Mohammed National Park

2.      Temple of Kamak

3.      The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities

4.      The Pyramid of Giza

5.      Valleys of the Kings

6.      Abu Simbel Temple Complex

7.      Luxor Temple

8.      Great Pyramid of Cheops [Khufu]

9.      Tiran Island

10.   Great Sphinx

11.   Temple of Philae

12.   SOHO Square

We can help you package your tour of Egypt. Contact us today: Gemsland Study Abroad & Tours

Tel: +2349091177137

Email: gemslandstudyabroad@gmail.com

Website: www.gsat-tours.com

Consider Working in Albania

Quick fact

Population:2,793,592

Capital: Tirana                                                                        

Language: Albania

Currency: Lek

GDP: $25,297 billion [nominal,2024[$59,099 billion]

Major source of income: Agriculture 

If you have been considering travelling about to start a new work life, I think Albania should come into your bucket list.

Albania is a country located in Southeastern Europe in the Balkan peninsula with an Adriatic and Ionian coastline. Neighboring countries include Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo. Albania has a strategic location along the strait of Otranto linking to Mediterranean Sea.

The car of choice in Albania is Mercedes. It is also the birthplace of Mother Teresa. Albania is also known for its medieval-era castles, exotic beaches and Ottoman architectures lined up on the streets.

There are many reasons to consider working in Albania. First, it is a European country (although not a Schengen state now but will join Schengen very soon).

Two, getting visa to go and work in Albania is very easy and stress free. You might not have to go through the stress of visa refusal like other countries.

 Another reason to consider Albania is that life there is cheaper and affordable there compared to other European countries and the people are very nice. Your employment just have to complete work request permit before you start a job. It typically takes no more than 30 days after submitting the documentation to get an approval or denial.       

It might also interest you to know that the literacy level in Albania is 99%. So that means if you are living in this country, you are definitely living in one of the countries with high literacy level. The mainstay in Albania is Agriculture. That means that you will have a lot to eat and if you like Agric (or you studied any course related to Agriculture like Agric Engineering, Agric Economics, etc.), you should be counting your fingers because you might be earning about five figures in a month. In short, you shouldn’t be looking for work for so long because your skills will always be needed in this country.

In terms of work permit, some work permits have restrictions, but the overall validity periods of the permit depend on the type.

There are four main Albanian work permit categories:

Type A: Permit for economic activities for both employers and employees.

Type B: Independent economics activity permits.

Type C: Permit for special occasions.

Type D: Permanent work permit for eligible foreigners.

All foreigners need a visa to enter Albania and a residence permit to live there.

            Type of Work Available In Albania

All types of jobs are available in Albania. The service sector and Agriculture have the highest job demands. But the people working in the financial sector get the highest pay.

At the moment, here are the skilled and unskilled workers demanded in Albania.

*Bricklayer

*Plumber

*Painter

*Carpenter

*Mechanic

*Mason

*Electricians

*Non-motor mechanic

*Drivers

*Butchers

*Miner

- Hotelier

 - Cleaners

          Document Required To Apply

To apply for any of the above listed Jobs, applicants should have the following documents:

-Valid International Passport (for at least 2 years]

-Passport Photograph

-Copy of Diploma (School certificate, Degree or Diploma)

-Updated CV

-Clear criminal record (Police character certificate)

-Clean bill of health (Medical report from approved government hospital)

-Processing fee

Processing Duration

To get a work permit to Albania, applicants should note that the processing takes three[3] to four[4] months. You cannot travel to Albania until you get your work visa.

                   Frequently Asked Questions [FAQ’S]

1. I have a school certificate; can I work in Albania? Yes, only school certificate is required. If you have other certificate like degree or diploma, this is an advantage.

2. Is English test or English language proficiency required to work in Albania? No, You do not need to provide or show a proof the IELTS to work in Albania.

3. How can I get a visa to work in Albania from Nigeria? You will get an E-visa. We can help you to apply for an E-visa.

4. How long does the visa last? You will get a 1-year visa after signing your employment contract.

5. How much will I earn while working in Albania? This depends on the type of job you are choosing. But averagely, you should be earning between $500 to $1,000 per month.

6. What currency is spent in Albania? Lek

7. What happens after my job contract or visa expires? Your employer will renew your job contract for you.

8. How many hours will I be required to work in Albania? Approximately 43.7 hours.

9. How much is one Albania lek compared to US Dollar? It is 0.01

10. How good or how hospitable are the people of Albania? Albania people are friendly and hospitable.

Still have more information or ready to work in Albania,

Contact: Gemsland Study Abroad & Tours: gemslandstudyabroad@gmail.com

Whatsapp: +2349091177137

Email: gemslandstudyabroad@gmail.com

WASAF 7.0

About WASAF

WASAF is an acronym for, Work & Study Abroad Fair. It is an annual event organized by Gemsland Study Abroad & Tours to give prospective students who would like to study abroad to meet representatives of universities/colleges in the over 20 universities in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, etc.

What WASAF Offer

WASAF also provides information for one-on-one free consultation on admission processing, scholarships, visa processing and other information about studying and working abroad.
Prospective students and their parents have the opportunity to get access to loan, funding, scholarship, grants and also meet our counsellors, representative of foreign universities, financial intuitions providing (proof of funds to assist with the funding support/assistant needed) to meet visa requirements.

The Event Perioscope

Every year, WASAF provides ample opportunity for prospective students who would like to study abroad in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Ireland, France, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Malta, Georgia, Barbados, India, Turkey, Cyprus, etc. 

WASAF has become a one-stop shop for studying and working abroad.

During the fair, prospective students and their parents get information on scholarship, how to apply for study, work, migration visa, how to get insurance and also foreign exams needed to get admission into universities of their choice.
During WASAF, credentials and documents of students are also assessed, and eligible students can get on-the-spot admission. That is why students coming to the fair are encouraged to come along with their copies of O'Level, Degree result, transcripts and international passport.  

The program also brings in one roof, Testing organizations like: The British Council, International Education testing Centre and some other bodies to give students all the information needed about the testing requirement for admission processing.

What should you come along with?

- O'Level (WASSCE/NNECO)/A Level result 

- Valid International Passport (Softcopy or Hardcopy)

- Birth Certificate

- Testimonial

- Academic Transcripts

- Test scores (SAT, TOEFL, IELTS)

- Other Diplomas or Credentials (Those planning to go for their postgraduates should come along with degree results, diplomas, updated CV, etc.)

Why you Should Attend WASAF
What makes WASAF different from other programs is that it is not all about studying abroad. It also provides opportunity for anyone who would like to work abroad in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Europe, etc. So, this makes the programme a must-attend for anyone planning to either study abroad or migrate abroad to gain permanent residency in the UK, Canada, Australia or Europe.
The most interesting thing is that WASAF is FREE.

How to Participate

There are many ways to register for this event:

1. See the event on our Facebook Calendar page by clicking this link: https//www.facebook.com/events/6735631543218489?active_tab=about

2. Fill the registration form here by using this link: https://forms.zoho.com/gemslandstudyabroadtours/form/WASAFRegistrationForm

3. You can also register by sending us message on WhatsApp 
For further information about the program, interested participants can call/WhatsApp: 09091177137 or email: gemslandstudyabroad@gmail.com for more inquiries.

Frequently Asked Questions about WASAF

1. Who is the organizer of WASAF? Gemsland Study Abroad & Tours

2. Which universities will be coming for WASAF? We are expecting over ten universities and colleges from the UK, USA, Canada and Europe.

3. How long has WASAF been? The first edition of WASAF was in 2014 at the LTV complex Alausa. Since then, we have been organizing WASAF almost every year.

4. What if I couldn't make it to this year event, can I come to your office? Of course, you can come to our office if time couldn't permit you to come to this year's WASAF.

5. I have been refused visa many times, is there any way your agency could be of assistance? Yes

6. I have an offer from a university in Canada and i don't know how to go about the visa processing. In fact, I am scared that I can be refused visa, can you assist me with visa processing? Of course.

7. Is there a way I can get proof of fund for my study abroad? The issue of funding or proof of fund is one major issue why many are refused visa. In this year's WASAF, we are bringing many of our partners and financial institutions to assist students and their parents with this.

8. I have low band score in IELTS, can I still get some universities/colleges in Canada that will offer me admission? Yes. We have many universities/colleges in Canada that will give you offer even if you have low band score in your IELTS.

9. I am thinking of registering for IELTS because I want to go and work in abroad. How can I get more information? The British Councill will be at WASAF to answer all your inquiries about writing IELTS.

10. Is it possible for someone to get 100% scholarship to study abroad? Yes,

Nursing Jobs in Malta

 Hey! Are you a registered Nurse and you are thinking of going abroad to work as a nurse? You have option of UK, but the cost of processing is expensive, or you really don't know how to go about it. if this is your case, I've got good news for you. You can work in Malta as a Nurse.

Now, here are few information for you before you start applying to go and work in Malta.

Where is Malta?

Malta is a small European country, and part of the Schengen state with a population of about 539,200 according to the latest estimate of 2023 (this year). Malta is a small island in the Mediterranean Sea which consist of Maltese people. It is an English-speaking region. The official currency is Euro and about 97 percent of the population are Christians.

The current population is 538,200 people according to this year (2023) census update. So, you can see that it is a very small country, and less than the population of Lagos. 

Malta proactive the cabinet or parliamentary system of government and the head if state if President George Vella. In terms of economy, the country is doing well as the exchange rate between the USD equals 0.929 Euro.

How Can I work in Malta as a Nurse?

To work in Malta as a Nurse you need to have a Bachelor's degree in Nursing and it is important that you have at least one year experience as a Nurse. After this, you need to submit all the necessary credentials to the Midwifery Council of Malta to get you registered as a nurse,

Your English language proficiency is also very important. Thant means you need to write the International English language & Testing System (IELTS) and have a minimum band score of 6.0. Anything less than this will not be accepted.

As you know, you should also have a valid International passport to apply. Your passport should not be less than one year or two years. 

How Good is Malta in Terms of the Nursing Profession?

According to a World Health Organization (WHO) rating, Malta is 5th globally in the medical industry. This is after some statistics and data collected by some hospitals and health centre in Malta,

Besides, Nurses in Malta are highly paid. The average salary in Malta is 38,976 euros per year. Salary for entry-level nurses with 1-3 years experience is about 27,552 euros. For senior level nurse with more than eight years experience, salary is out at: 48,105 euros per year.

Some of the benefits of working in Malta are outlined below:

* low-income tax (which is only 15% of your income)

* Low cost of living compared to other European countries, UK, America and Canada. A single person estimated monthly costs are at 830.45 USD (7.66 Euros). This also depends on lifestyle as the cost could be lesser than that. Cost of living in Malta is on the average 16/7% lower than that of the United States. Rent in Malta on the average is 43.7% lower that of US. Rent, food, transport cost, clothes are pretty cheap in Malta.

* Low crime rate: The rate of crime is lower in Malta compared to the UK, USA and other parts of Europe. Also, the country is not prone to natural disaster or other hazards. One can hardly hear of any bad news about Malta.

* Average number of working per week in Malta is 42 hours compared to other countries which is 50 hours per week. It might interest you to know that there are 13 public holidays in Malta and most nurses are entitled to 25 paid leaves per year.

* The Social Security Act (SSA) comes with a lot of benefits like: retirement plan, pension, unemployment benefits, health care, child's benefits, etc. Residents only need to pay 10% of their gross salary to enjoy this as part of their Social Security Contributions,

There are quite a number of benefits of working in Malta as a Nurse or other professionals like: accountants, engineers, HR, admin, teachers, etc. Now that you know about what it takes to work in Malta, what are you waiting for? Talk to us today!

Group Harps on Multistakeholders Funding for Education

 Group Harps on Multistakeholders Funding for Education – Olugbenga Adebiyi

“The volume of funds available for education to a large extent will determine the quality and quantity of school objective that will be achieved”. This was the view of Mrs. Modupe Onabanjo, chairperson Education Group of Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) during a seminar on the “Effect of Low Government Funding on Education in Nigeria” at the LCCI, Alausa last week.

During her welcome address at the seminar, Modupe said, “low government funding in the education sector has severely affected many areas of our lives as education stakeholders. The most challenging recently is the security of school environment, students and teachers at large”.

To solve the problem of paucity of funds in education, she advised that the Federal Government should keep to his promise as vowed in the Education Summit of 2021 in the United Kingdom, through improved planning mechanism and resource allocations; through management of budget and allocation and stakeholders involvement in education within the community.

Also speaking at the event, Professor Josiah Ajiboye Registrar, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) said, when it comes to issue of funding the questions to be asked are: “Is it that there are no funding, poor funding or misappropriation of funds? We need to get this clearly."

Going further, Prof. Ajiboye said overemphasis on Federal Government funding is making things worse in the sense that what the state and local authority are waiting endlessly for federal governemnt intervention for their own state or local projects. He said that the state or local councils are not taking initiative on how to generate funds hence the overeliance on federal governent funds or subventionsins. He said there are many ways the state could generate their own itnernal revenue without waiting for FG intervention.   

He lamented that Nigerian is not yet there in terms of funding as the UNESCO recommendation of 15-20% recommendation is not being followed. Pointing out that a review of the 2022 budget presented by the National Assembly to the President revealed that out of the ₦16.39 trillion of the total budgets, only ₦1.29 trillion amounting to 7.9 percent was allocated to education.

He also said that a lot of funds are lying fallow with TETFUND and UBEC that are not assessed because there is no political will on the part of the state to assess these funds, saying that the governors are more interested on how they can collect the money without their own counterpart funding not minding that the comatose and deplorable states of education in their states.

The erudite scholar said the major problem has been over-reliance on funding from the federal government allocation without looking at other sources like public-private partnership (PPP), donor agencies, adopt-a-school, individual contributions, stakeholders partnership/funding among other multi-sectoral approach to funding.

Ajiboye said the impact of poor funding has led to consistent ASUU strike, rise in insecurity, increase in tourism education, infrastructural decay, increased number of out-of-school children, poor quality teaching among others. He revealed that about 250 teachers have left the country this year January alone in search of greener pastures abroad. Hence, he advised that the issue should be tackled holistically.

Corroborating Prof. Ajiboye’s assertion, The Managing Director/CEO of EdFin Microfinance Mrs. Bunmi Lawson said that in the good old days community used to the part of schools development and funding of which she benefited a lot.

Lawson said “If the local governments are well-funded, they would be able to take care of the schools in the community”. She concluded that it is because there has been no participation in education that is why schools in the community are not doing well and have become shadow of themselves.

During the plenary session, Mr. Adegbola Adesina, Managing Director CSS Bookshop Lagos said, poor funding has affected the capacity building of teachers who he described as the “single most important factor in the school”.

Adegbola said during the Eko Project, an intervention fund with support from by the World Bank in Lagos State some years ago, teachers have the opportunity to travel abroad for training by the Eko Project but it is no more now.

Also the past president of ANCOPPS Lagos state, Mr. Isaac Olatunde said he applauded the government for providing funding through it has been minimal. He implored the government to do more because there are many areas in critical needs of funding in the education sector. He said without adequate funding, the education sector would not be able to develop a holistic person.

During a question and answer session, one of the participants, Engineer Twinkle Orimanye said Ghana education allocation is 26%, a little better than that of Nigeria. He further said that Nigeria should look more into technical education and ensure that she is not producing half-baked graduates who have nothing to offer saying that an air-conditioner technician in Ghana can also repair fix that of a car whereas the case is different in Nigeria as such person would be said to be a specialist in car alone.

Another participant, Oluwatoyin Camp bell asked how to correct the issue of lack of political will in the area of funding. So as to get funds that are lying fallow into the hands of the state.

At the end of the seminar, the group promised to issue a communiqué with a recommendation to the government on how to address this problem.

AFROGRAMS win 1m in School Debate

It was a celebration of joy galore when the African Church Model Grammar School, Ifako, Lagos won a one million prize at the National Intellectual Development Programme (NIDP) debate competition for secondary schools organized by the Caleb University, Imota, Ikorodu, Lagos.

The elated principal, Mrs. Folashade Olayinka Erinle could not hide her joy when the news was broken to her on the phone even before the students arrived as she gave a shout of joy in her office when the news of the school’s victory was broken to her during a telephone conversation.

Barachael College, Baptist Academy and Dansol High School all emerged second and third and forth respectively.

The first and second runner-up, Barachael College and Baptist Academy got #250,000 and #150,000 respectively while Dansol High School, which came fourth smiled home with #100,000.

About seven hundred students from forty secondary school participated in the event tagged “Career Expo” which was sponsored by the Zenith bank.

During a one-on-one interview with some of the participating contestants from AFROGRAMS, the Head girl, Maclean Fiyinfoluwa said this was not the first time their school is winning or taking first in competitions as the school has participated in so many competition and they have been winning.

Ahama Isaac who was the chief speaker during the contest said that it wasn’t a pyrrhic victory as they have go through rigorous preparation which for about one month to the competition. The student said the prize was made possible through the effort of their English Language teacher, Mr. Aganga who put them on their toes to ensure that the prize came to the school.

Dr. Temitope Fasoranti, the Executive Director of Zenith Bank who spoke during the Career Expo segment on the title, “Developing a creative Mindset in the 21st century” admonished the students to make their studies a non- negotiable priority by shunning all manners of social vices and carefully choose the appropriate career path”       

How to Eke a Living Abroad as an International Students

 Sometimes studying abroad could be pretty difficult for international students especially those who are self-sponsored. Most times, some of the expectation of getting menial jobs or some little support to augment their expenses like living cost, feeding, clothing, etc. might be dashed. And yet, life still has to go on. So, how do you as an international student (especially from African or developing countries)who happens to find yourself abroad survive? 

We are all aware that international students can work abroad for at least 20 hours per week, But sometimes finding job for the first year of your study might be difficult. In some other country like India, international students are not allowed to work in order to support their studies. At other times, you might find a job while studying abroad, but the wages might not be enough to support yourself. So, how do you do survive the hurdle?  

That is why this post is meant for you. Of you find yourself studying abroad as an international student, there are many things that you can do to eke a living in order to augment your expenses and still continue your studies.

1. Tutorial: If you are good at teaching, teaching other colleagues or international students like yourself English Language could be an income stream for you. We have many international students who are from India, Pakistan, China, Malaysia, Niger, Cotonou, Congo, etc whose lingua franca aren't English. As English Language is the medium of communication in most universities and colleges, you can help to brush of their English for a small fee. You can even organize a group tutorial for them and charge them for a fee.

2.    Selling Stuffs: If you have a Midas touch and you can count your bean, then you can engage in selling and buying to make a living as a student while studying abroad. One thing Our local attire or fabric is a pride that people from other culture usually fascinate because of its uniqueness. Nowadays, 'Ankara' and 'Kente' is trending as it is becoming a fashionable trend loved by all. You can get a good tailor to make different sixes and you can sell your for a price and make money.

3.  Running your Own E-Commerce Store: Online store is trending and growing because of the internet. Since people can just go online and order some stuffs, they don't have to stress themselves going to the boutiques and stores to buy them. Designer labels like bags, shoes, belts, cloths, perfumes are some of the things that many fashionista go online to buy. Not peculiar to those who are fashion freaks, nearly everyone likes to look. By heling people to look nice, you can also make some cool dough too.

4. Photography: The other time, I was in Europe, I saw a students who was our paparazzi while we tour some campuses in Europe. Upon inquiry, I discovered that he was a student from the Middle East or one of the Arab countries. He said he makes a living with photography. If you are good at taking pictures, you can also make money without necessarily depending on the odd jobs out there while studying abroad. 

5. Creativity: Do you like some creative work like graphics and website designing? If you can build website or do some graphics or even develop software, then you don't need to look for any job. You can monetize this and make money.  That is why it is good to have some good skills here before going abroad to study.

Watch out for more on this topic soon!