Page 9 - ELG1810 Oct Issue 461

NEWS

Improving English skills would are met and BSC Kyrgyzstan is a the national Education Council LAOS:
be helpful ahead of the surge in perfect example of this, said Steve unless she sits for the Ielts exam, Wimbledon School of English
tourist numbers expected for the Phillips, Managing Director for the NZ Herald online reported. (WSE) has opened a language
2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Transnational Education. The council ‘considers her to centre in Vientiane in partnership
‘It offers the same high quality be a migrant who needs to prove with the city’s British international
KYRGYZSTAN: experience .... as our UK centres,’ her English is up to scratch’, the school, Panyathip.
British Study Centres has opened he added. website reported. WSE Vientiane will provide Ielts
a new school in this central Asian The hope is to offer young Jacqueline Hsu, who has lived and EAP courses to students from
country. The project is in line with Kyrgyzs more opportunities for in New Zealand for over 20 years the Panyathip International School
the government’s support for ‘in- their education and careers. and graduated with a Bachelor as well as attracting local students
country ELT and its 3-national- Steve Phillips took part in of Teaching from NZ Tertiary planning to join the University
language policy of Kyrgyz, Russian, the opening of the school in the College in 2012, scored 57/60 of Nottingham’s Foundation
and English’, according to the capital Bishkek, along with the in the English language Quick Programme at Panyathip.
British Study Centres (BSC). Vice Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Placement Test (QPT) she had to WSE’s Managing Director,
The government aims to have Altynay Omurbekova. (see below) sit before starting university. Jane Dancaster, said of their
90 per cent of secondary school A council spokeswoman new partners ‘we share the
leavers reach B2 level in their L2. stressed that the QPT is not on the same educational values and
Plans include close cooperation list of the four tests recognised for commitment to quality.’
with the Ministry of Education minimum standards for English.
on teacher training, junior The council also highlighted
summer camps and delivery of an that ‘some aspects of the English
international foundation year. language proficiency requirement
Some of the English language were being reviewed’.
teachers currently working at the These changes come as NZ
school have received in-house predicts that teacher shortage in
CELTA training. the country will reach crisis point
‘Transnational Education is a NEW ZEALAND: by 2030.
great and vital part of what we do. A Malaysian teacher with 12 Hsu, who is refusing to take the
The team works so hard to ensure years’ professional experience in Ielts test, is temporarily working Jane Dancaster and Ms Pathana
our standards across the world New Zealand cannot register with as a homestay co-ordinator. Panyathip sign the agreement.

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