Page 17 - ELG2005 Jul Issue 471

SPECIAL FEATURE

Testing times ahead?

The market for exams may have been hard hit by Covid-19, says

Melanie Butler, but exam courses may be the key to re-opening it

ithout English testing,” screeches the
“Wheadline in University World News,
“study abroad cannot continue.”
Well, that is certainly true for the JE SHOOTS/UNSPLASH
university sector in the English-speaking
world, especially when it comes to students
coming from China. As University World
News explains, two of the best-known
academic language tests, TOEFL and IELTS,
are regulated by the National Education
Examinations Authority, which has not only
closed their exam centres, but has not
allowed them to run online courses, meaning
that neither TOEFL’s iBT Special Home
Edition Test nor the IELTS Indicator online
test are available in the country.
This has offered an immense opportunity
for non-regulated exam providers, especially
the other major international test for
university entrance, PTE academic. It has
also resulted in Pearson opening waves of
new testing centres in China and beyond, as
the company tells us on page 18.
And it is not just Pearson. According to,
University World News, the Duolingo English With few options right now for English language exams, some Chinese students are
Test, “has been the only online English test dusting off their general English qualifications
available in mainland China and is quickly
becoming recognised by an increasing about online IELTS courses or bemoaning EC is just one of an increasing number of
number of education providers.” the closure of training centres. providers expecting to open their UK schools
Indeed, around the world, more and more However, this could be good news for by September. Bell, ELC Bristol and
students are dusting off general English language schools in English-speaking Wimbledon School of English, to name but a
qualifications and using them on their countries, at least those English-speaking few, are also planning to open their doors.
applications. Help is at hand for admissions countries which will let them in. As we It is no surprise that this list is dominated
officers struggling to evaluate tests they have report on page 7, Malta is the first country to by providers known for their exam courses.
never even heard of, as we report on pages And it’s a good bet that exam courses will be
22-23, Professor John Slaght has a new set of top of the list for students willing to travel –
guidelines, covering a host of tests, from But for students and it won’t just be academic English exams
Aptis to Versant. they will be looking for.
New Zealand is reportedly planning to outside China, In many English-speaking countries,
keep its borders closed to students until 2021, migrants need English language tests too. In
while Australia is considering bringing where exam centres the UK, as we report on page 20, migrants
students in on special flights. In Canada, an are open, travel need to take a government-approved Secure
announcement on “travel guidelines in July English Language Test (SELT) in a Secure
2020 and beyond” is expected imminently, restrictions may English Language Test Centre. There is a new
according to a June 20 article in the list of SELTs which have now been approved,
Canadian Immigration Newsletter. prove more of including newcomer LanguageCert, featured
There is also bad news for students in India, on page 21, and a new exam from Pearson
the second largest market for overseas an obstacle. Home.
degrees. Canada is the most popular And language centres offering these exams
destination for Indians, and parents are more allow its language schools to re-open, but do not need to depend on students flying in
concerned about safety, with a surge of only to students from 19 countries. The UK from abroad. Migrants already in the UK also
interest in countries like New Zealand, that is also widely expected to relax its recent need a SELT to extend or change their visa
have had very low levels of coronavirus quarantine rules, again to a limited number under the new points-based system, which we
deaths, according to the New Indian Express. of countries. do our best to explain on page 19.
But the biggest problem for Indian students Some language schools are raring to go, The lack of exams during lockdown may
may actually not be the lack of exam centres, with Maltese chain EC declaring it will open well have posed the biggest threat to
many of which are open, but rather the lack its schools in Malta in early July, followed by international study, but it is exam courses
of exam teaching. The Indian press is full of its UK schools sometime in late July, with which may well lead the way in opening up
stories of would-be students complaining others following in late August. the market.

editorial@elgazette.com 17