IELTS training programme fails to take off

The training programme in International English Language Testing System (IELTS),which was to be launched by the Punjab government on August 16 in 20 selected government schools of the state,failed to take off as there were hardly any takers for the course. Sources said not even 50 students registered for the programme in the entire state. The district education officers were responsible to spread awareness regarding the programme,but only three to four students per district got themselves registered,except for 15 students in Faridkot.

At the same time,hundreds of private IELTS institutes in the state have been fleecing the foreign education aspirants by charging hefty amounts. To check this fleecing and provide genuine training in IELTS,the Director General of School Education (DGSE) was to launch a training programme for students. The entire course of three months was to cost just Rs 5,000. The programme was to run through Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Education Society of state,which also looks after the IT education in government schools.

When contacted,in-charge of ICT as well as IELTS programme,Brigadier (retd) Jagtar Singh said at the moment,the IELTS training programme has been postponed for a month. He said people are not fully aware about the programme. “It is a no profit no loss project for the government but students will reap huge benefits from it,” he said.