Afrigather Many Nigerians have reacted to the current announcement by the British Council to extend the examination payment for the Worldwide English Language Testing System (IELTS) college students within the nation by 29 %, after 5 months.
The hike in IELTS examination is seen escalating the challenges confronted by many Nigerian college students of their quest to relocate overseas and/or push for research overseas.
Talking on the brand new growth, Blessing Ema, an educationist expressed considerations that the rise would additionally have an effect on value of writing Cambridge O’degree examinations astronomically.
Ema identified the devalued foreign money is rubbing negatively on the ambitions of many Nigerians who would wish to additional their research and/or journey overseas for greener pastures.
“Like in my former faculty, we enrolled college students for Cambridge IGCSE programme. Examinations was once charged instantly by British Council based mostly on change charge.
“I’m certain on account of the price of examinations most college students won’t be able to enroll for the promme,” she mentioned.
Efriye Bribena, the chief government officer at TAMIEF Worldwide Restricted mentioned; “It’s affordable to take action if the rise is in Naira due to the change charge however will probably be unreasonable if the rise is in British Kilos.
“The visa charges are denominated in Kilos and transformed to Naira, so it’s pure for it to alter if the Naira is devalued.”
Nonetheless, Friday Erhabor, the director of media and methods at Marklenez Restricted believes that something that may make Nigerians to look inwards is a welcome growth.
“Our penchants for international schooling, international medical care, and international made items are a part of the challenges going through our financial system. Nigerians that graduate from our universities can compete with graduates from anyplace on the earth,” he mentioned.
Erhabor decried this sudden urge to ship kids outdoors the nation to high school widespread amongst Nigerians. The truth is, he mentioned he would love the increment to rise to 50 % if that might Nigerians to look inwards.
Within the fore of the search by many Nigerians to journey overseas for greener pastures, many are required to put in writing the IELTS examinations in the event that they wish to purchase a visa to any of the international locations which have made it a compulsory entry requirement.
The IELTS is recognised globally as a measure of language proficiency for non-native English audio system.
Previous to the current announcement by the council, Nigerians had been requested to pay N107,500 from the between N80,000 to N90,000, and are actually to pay the sum of N139,000 for the Laptop Educational and Basic Coaching Modules because the international change dangles.
In accordance with a press release on the British Council’s web site, the increment was as a result of rise within the prices of delivering the examinations in Nigeria.
“We want to inform you that there was a overview of our IELTS charges. The brand new worth listing of the IELTS vary of checks provided by the British Council shall be efficient for registrations on or after 1 February 2024.
“The brand new costs shall be: IELTS on Laptop Educational and Basic Coaching Modules: ₦139,000
“IELTS on Paper Educational and Basic Coaching Modules: ₦134,000; UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI): ₦149,000; Life Abilities: ₦130,000; One Talent Retake (O.S.R): ₦87,570
“The change in worth is related to the elevated prices within the supply of our examinations. This adjustment is predicted to help the continuation of a various vary of providers and complete help for people striving to realize their language proficiency targets,” the assertion learn partly.
That is coming 5 months after the council effected an increment. The payment for the IELTS, was N80,000 to N90,000 earlier than it was elevated to N107,500 in September 2023
IELTS is extensively embraced globally by non-native English audio system and serves as proof of their language proficiency.
It’s a collaborative effort between the British Council, Cambridge English Language Evaluation, and IDP Training Australia for these searching for academic alternatives, employment, or visa approvals within the UK, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.
Nigeria’s naira plunged to a report in opposition to the greenback following a revision of the methodology used to set the change charge, in impact the second devaluation of the foreign money in seven months.
The native unit depreciated 31 % to N1,413 a greenback on Monday within the so-called NAFEX fixing, the official international change window, in keeping with information printed by FMDQ, which calculates the change charge for the West African nation.
The transfer got here after the Central Financial institution of Nigeria accused merchants of manipulating the change charge by under-reporting transaction charges.
