The goverment are dammed if they do and dammed if they dont.Originally Posted by joebloggs
i don't think the idea of doing some sort of test or course is a bad idea, many immigrants who have lived here for years and have made the uk thier home, but they cannot read, write or speak english.
if the person already has a understanding of english, then the life in the uk test can be taken to prove it, and as they need to be tested on some subject, why not the uk ?
for those who think they cannot pass the test, they can do an English course combining the citizenship info.
it's a waste of time for brits who speak english and maybe for those immigrants who can take the test straight away, but i'm sure it's not for those who are on the English and citizenship course, by the time they finish the course they will have a better understanding of english
The test if you look at it practically means the person has to understand how to read english and have a basic understanding of British ways.
Many of the Questions are a little daft.
But many people who have moved to the UK have no idea there is any thing to the UK apart from the place there live in the route to and from the airport.
I do know of people mainly though their chilldren who have lived in say southall all their life and simply never gone to anywhere outside of a small radius of there home and used Heathrow to go back and forth to the mother country.
Many people who have moved here from abroad if they dont have a western or westernized partner or family members will have no idea of the rules and rights they have. Even know much about the Uk in general.
You cant make everyone go to school for six months it just cant happen. So the life in the Uk test has a point. Nearly all Phills with a decent education from back in phil with a little application to studying the book and practise tests will be fine. A far lot better of than many races/nationalites for example Thais find it hard as they have a different script and many i presume are taught in thai at school not a form of english as most phills are.
If i had my way i would bring in the Ielts exam as it tests on reading, writing, speaking and listening.
But as the exam cost over 80 quid and needs qualified examiners it would be unfeasiable due to the numbers involved if done once here in the UK
