Enike Samuel was preparing to apply for a master’s degree in biological sciences at the University of Alberta in February when he realized that, because he is from Nigeria, he would have to do something that is not required of most applicants: Demonstrate English fluency successfully in language test. Mr Samuel, a 27-year-old who lives in the southern Nigerian town of Ekpoma, was surprised that the requirement, aimed at verifying the skills of students who speak English as a second language, applied to him. English is the official language of Nigeria, a remnant of British colonial rule. Like almost all Nigerians his age, he studied in English language classes for most of his life. He checked with several universities in Ontario to see if they also required Nigerian students to take an English proficiency test. All of them did. He decided not to apply to Alberta or any of the others. “I just lost the motivation to keep applying, because it didn’t make sense to me,” she said. The University of Alberta revised its policy in May and now exempts Nigerian applicants from the proficiency test requirement. Mr. Samuel is once again considering applying. But most other universities and colleges in Canada, the United States and Britain still require students from African countries where the English language is widely spoken – such as Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana and Sierra Leone – to pass the tests. Students from these African countries have begun to challenge the policies, which they say they are costly, unnecessary and discriminatory. To take an English language proficiency test, such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), a student pays a fee of between $250 and $300. This is a steep price for many people from Nigeria, where the monthly minimum wage is about $93. Olumuyiwa Igbalajobi, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of British Columbia, is leading a campaign to exempt Nigerian applicants from English language proficiency test requirements. He said the policies are unfair. “I do not see the reason why Nigerians should take these tests just to prove that they could speak English, despite the fact that this is our language of instruction from primary to tertiary education,” he said. “Besides financial constraints, emotional stress also exists for candidates taking the exams.” Gideon Christian, assistant professor of law at the University of Calgary who is originally from Nigeria, said there was no justification for forcing English-speaking applicants from Africa to take language tests and that the policies could damage the self-esteem of some students. “The impact is that unconsciously, they make you feel that no matter how well you think you speak that language, your language is inferior,” he said. Rashidat Raji, another Nigerian student, said He has taken English proficiency tests five times in recent years as he sought medical residency in Canada. On July 29, he wrote to the colleges of physicians and surgeons in all the provinces in the hope of obtaining exemptions, but did not receive them. “I feel like it’s really unfair and depressing,” she said. “I don’t see why we should go through all this trouble because it costs money and time.” Jennifer MacDonald, director of English-language studies and university access at Dalhousie University, said there are three factors used by Canadian universities to determine an applicant’s language proficiency: whether they are a native English speaker, whether their country is considered English-speaking, and whether their previous education was in English. “These factors are sometimes applied in unclear and inconsistent combinations,” he said. “Shouldn’t it just be about whether someone did a minimum number of years of previous schooling in English?” Dalhousie offers exemptions from language tests to students who can demonstrate that they attended English-language secondary or post-secondary schools. Ms. MacDonald said international post-secondary students coming to study in Canada may have some language needs. For example, they may need to learn how to write in an academic style. But Canadian high school students going to university often also need to learn how to write academically. “Presenting an English proficiency score will not help an applicant develop the language they need to succeed at university,” he said. “It’s just a barrier holding the gate.” English proficiency tests are a profitable business. Between 2016 and 2021, IELTS, which is administered by the British Council, an organization partly funded by the British government, generated more than US$771.2 million in gross earnings from applicants taking the test. A 2021 economic report ranked Nigeria as one of the top revenue contributors based on fee earnings. Nigeria is also a major source of applications to Canadian universities. According to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, last year Nigerian students submitted more than 21,000 applications for study permits in Canada. Mr Igbalajobi said he has written dozens of emails to universities in Canada, the US, Australia, Japan and South Korea asking for exemptions from English proficiency requirements for students from Nigeria and other English-speaking African countries. Some major universities in Canada, such as the University of Toronto, York University and Metropolitan University of Toronto (formerly Ryerson University), already offer exemptions to students from these countries. And the University of Alberta isn’t the only school to change its policy recently. On June 16, Athabasca University exempted applicants from Nigeria and 15 other English-speaking African countries from requiring English language proficiency tests, and the University of Prince Edward Island now exempts students from about 40 Nigerian universities. Mr Igbalajobi said the University of Windsor told him it was reviewing its policy. Mr. Christian, who sits on admissions committees, said all Canadian universities would have to adopt a new regime: “They accept applications without the requirement of language proficiency and during application review, if it becomes apparent that an applicant has difficulty in understanding the English language or expressing themselves in the language, you could require a test instead of having it as a general rule.” The Morning Update and Afternoon Update newsletters are written by Globe editors, giving you a concise summary of the day’s most important headlines. Sign up today.
