Page 6 - ELG1810 Oct Issue 461

NEWS .

Teacher refused UK visa to attend

her own wedding when offi cials

lose her Ielts certifi cate

By Federica Tedeschi above the A1 needed for a
A Mexican teacher of English, spousal visa. The certificate was
Alejandra Santiago, has been issued in November 2017 and she
denied entry to the UK to submitted the original well within
attend her own wedding after the two-year period for which an
UK immigration authorities first Ielts score is valid.
admitted they couldn’t find her Santiago, who was due to marry
documents and subsequently her British partner Pete O’Hare in
told her, that her English the UK this August, is currently
language certificate ‘did not meet in Mexico, having returned
the requirement.’ early in 2018 to submit her visa
Despite numerous requests, application.
at the time of writing, the The couple had booked a venue
authorities had failed to in the UK for the 25th of August
confirm the whereabouts of the this year. In July they were
documents which include Ms informed that her documents
Santiago’s passport and original had been misplaced by the Home
Ielts certificate. Office. The official decision to
The Home office told refuse the application was taken
the Gazette ‘the applicant on the 20th of August, five days
submitted an English language before the wedding was due to
certificate which did not meet take place. However, the Home
the requirements.’ And added office delayed sending the decision
‘the onus is on the applicant to to the couple until the 5th Alejandra Santiago’s plan to marry partner Pete O’Hare (couple
demonstrate that they satisfy the of September. pictured above) is on ice as UK immigration lose her papers.
immigration rules.’ The delay has forced the couple
Ms Santiago, however, appears to postpone their wedding. ‘Ms Parliament (MP), who under grounds that they were ‘unable to
to have met all the requirements Santiago and her fiancé are quite British convention can act on disclose confidential information.’
for English language tests under frustrated with the decision’, their behalf of constituents with At the time of going to press,
the immigration rules. She took lawyer told the Gazette. immigration problems. Ms Santiago’s lawyers had still not
Ielts, one of the two approved Continual requests have However, when the EL Gazette received confirmation that the
tests, at a Secure English language been made as to the location contacted the MPs local office missing Ielts certificate had been
Test centre, as required. She of the documents, including by about the couple’s case, his staff located either from the Home
scored at C1 level, considerably her fiancé’s local Member of declined to comment on the office or from the local MP.

newsinbrief

CHINA RECRUITS 2,000 ENGLISH TEACHER US TRAINEES AVOID STUDENTS REVOLT CARTOONS ‘WILL
FILIPINO TEACHERS INTERCEPTED WORK WITH ELLs OVER ‘TAIWAN, BOOST ENGLISH’
Philippines’ Labor Chief, An English teacher was Fewer aspiring teachers CHINA’ SWITCH French primary school
Silvestre Bello, has intercepted in a military in the USA now choose Thousands of students children should watch
announced a government- area near the Turkey’s to become ELL-trained protested against the cartoons in English, a
to-government hiring Greek border, the local instructors of English Educational Testing report from education
scheme with China. Some press reported. Language Learners, Service (ETS) in August minister Jean-Michel
2,000 Filipino teachers will The school where the a report from the over a change to its Blanquer suggests.
start work this autumn. unnamed teacher used American Association online location listings Blanquer said that
The program was formally to work was closed down of Colleges for Teacher for the TOEFL exam, Scandinavian are
agreed when Bello and in the aftermath of the Education reveals. local press reported. so good at English
Chinese Ambassador 2016 failed coup because Only 4 percent of the ETS changed the ‘because they watch
to the Philippines, Zhao of its alleged ties to the students who completed entry ‘Taiwan’ to ‘Taiwan, fi lms in their original
Jianhua, signed a specifi c anti-government Gülen teacher preparation China’ in line with language’.
Memorandum in April. movement. programs in 2016 Beijing’s policy. Over The idea of
Chinese language Some 90,000 people graduated in English- 5,000 students backed introducing bilingual
knowledge will be an have been on pre-trial as-a-second-language an open letter asking education is among the
advantage for the detention for a year instruction, the ETS to change the measures suggested by
right applicants. following the crackdown. AACTE found. listing back to ‘Taiwan’. the report.

6 October 2018