Srijana Dhungel of Shantinagar, New Baneswor completed her IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test five months ago as she is planning to go abroad for further studies. It’s not that she didn’t find the perfect faculty, suitable subject or good college over here. But she believes that only foreign land, especially Australia, can fulfill her all her dreams, be it gaining a reputed international degree, a bright career, or living a wonderful luxurious life. She received six weeks of IELTS preparation classes in an educational consultancy, but unfortunately scored only five in IELTS test, which is below the requirement for colleges in Australia. But she did not take the result as a big deal. She went through more preparations and attempted the test once again. For her, the biggest step towards her bright future is to score a six in the IELTS, anyhow, at any cost.
Not only Srijana, but hundreds of youth are busy preparing for the Iron Gate, the IELTS test, in every building of Bagbazaar and Putalisadak, which are the hubs of educational consultancies. Yes, IELTS test is no less than Iron Gate today, driving young students of Nepal crazy.
Consultancies run several preparation classes in morning, afternoon and evening shifts. Each of them is packed with youth aged 18-25, representing not only Kathmandu, but towns and villages across the nation. Their one and only purpose is to score more than six in IELTS test and fly to their dreamland, whether the US, Australia, Canada or Europe. Since the US has strict visa policies, students prefer other nations nowadays.
I participated in two Australian education fairs at Hotel Annapurna and Everest Hotel in January. I was shocked to see the queues of youth inquiring about universities, courses offered, visa policies, processing, documentation, fee structure, Australian lifestyle, among other things. Students with high school degrees, Bachelor’s degrees, and even Master’s degrees, students of Nursing and Engineering, are all enthusiastic about IELTS. It is even more shocking to know that all IELTS dates in Nepal are booked till July 2014. British Council is authorized to take IELTS tests in Nepal, and it conducts three tests every month. But the number of students willing to appear in IELTS has grown fast, resulting in booking of all dates until July. Hundreds more are waiting for their turn.
Upon inquiry, one consultancy located in Putalisadak informed me that around 40-50 students take IELTS classes everyday in the institution. Since they only provide services for Australia, they sent around 350 students to Australia in 2013, and already issued more than 15 visas in January 2014. Another one in New Baneswor also holds several IELTS preparation classes from 7 am to 6 pm every day, and each class is attended by more than 30 students. Similarly, yet another consultancy in Putalisadak adds that more than 100 students have queued up for IELTS preparation classes and processing for June/July intake. A student pays around Rs 5,000-Rs 10,000 for six weeks of IELTS preparation; they pay Rs 13,800 to the British Council for the test itself.
Australia is the first option for Nepali students today, not only due to its quality education and warm hospitality to international students, but also due to its cultural diversity, less time consuming processing, lenient financial processing, and easy PR facility. Moreover, Australia has marked 2014 as Students Year, attracting students from around the globe.
We see a huge crowd of youth in Tribhuwan International Airport every day with garlands and bouquets, hugging their parents, clicking photos with friends, and carrying big suitcases, ready to say goodbye to motherland, in pursuit of foreign degree, career and a bright future. A few return to Nepal in holidays, whereas some realize their dream of getting PR or settling abroad. Though the nation earns large remittance from Nepalis abroad, it is unfortunate that such a large number of capable youth nurture the foreign dream. The most proficient and creative age group of the day wants to take IELTS. It would be great if they return with foreign degrees and implement their ideas and skills for the betterment of their motherland. Our nation has many possibilities and opportunities, but who will make these IELTS crazy youths understand that?
Published on Republica, 2014-02-15
http://myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=69605
Not only Srijana, but hundreds of youth are busy preparing for the Iron Gate, the IELTS test, in every building of Bagbazaar and Putalisadak, which are the hubs of educational consultancies. Yes, IELTS test is no less than Iron Gate today, driving young students of Nepal crazy.
Consultancies run several preparation classes in morning, afternoon and evening shifts. Each of them is packed with youth aged 18-25, representing not only Kathmandu, but towns and villages across the nation. Their one and only purpose is to score more than six in IELTS test and fly to their dreamland, whether the US, Australia, Canada or Europe. Since the US has strict visa policies, students prefer other nations nowadays.
I participated in two Australian education fairs at Hotel Annapurna and Everest Hotel in January. I was shocked to see the queues of youth inquiring about universities, courses offered, visa policies, processing, documentation, fee structure, Australian lifestyle, among other things. Students with high school degrees, Bachelor’s degrees, and even Master’s degrees, students of Nursing and Engineering, are all enthusiastic about IELTS. It is even more shocking to know that all IELTS dates in Nepal are booked till July 2014. British Council is authorized to take IELTS tests in Nepal, and it conducts three tests every month. But the number of students willing to appear in IELTS has grown fast, resulting in booking of all dates until July. Hundreds more are waiting for their turn.
Upon inquiry, one consultancy located in Putalisadak informed me that around 40-50 students take IELTS classes everyday in the institution. Since they only provide services for Australia, they sent around 350 students to Australia in 2013, and already issued more than 15 visas in January 2014. Another one in New Baneswor also holds several IELTS preparation classes from 7 am to 6 pm every day, and each class is attended by more than 30 students. Similarly, yet another consultancy in Putalisadak adds that more than 100 students have queued up for IELTS preparation classes and processing for June/July intake. A student pays around Rs 5,000-Rs 10,000 for six weeks of IELTS preparation; they pay Rs 13,800 to the British Council for the test itself.
Australia is the first option for Nepali students today, not only due to its quality education and warm hospitality to international students, but also due to its cultural diversity, less time consuming processing, lenient financial processing, and easy PR facility. Moreover, Australia has marked 2014 as Students Year, attracting students from around the globe.
We see a huge crowd of youth in Tribhuwan International Airport every day with garlands and bouquets, hugging their parents, clicking photos with friends, and carrying big suitcases, ready to say goodbye to motherland, in pursuit of foreign degree, career and a bright future. A few return to Nepal in holidays, whereas some realize their dream of getting PR or settling abroad. Though the nation earns large remittance from Nepalis abroad, it is unfortunate that such a large number of capable youth nurture the foreign dream. The most proficient and creative age group of the day wants to take IELTS. It would be great if they return with foreign degrees and implement their ideas and skills for the betterment of their motherland. Our nation has many possibilities and opportunities, but who will make these IELTS crazy youths understand that?
Published on Republica, 2014-02-15
http://myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=69605
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