original requirements for public service workers to be fluent in English echo David Cameron’s suggestion that salubrious language skills are share of the fight against extremism. But at the same time,courses to train non-native speakers are being chop across EnglandAbdul came to the UK six years ago, a refugee from Afghanistan, and at the age of 15 and without a word of English. It took him three months just to learn the alphabet. “It was very hard. Now I’m better but I can’t get a job. He has worked as a mechanic since October,first on an apprenticeship and now share-time, but he isn’t allowed to speak to the customers, or “because my English is not very salubrious”.
He has been learning English on an Esol (English for speakers of other languages) course at a local college. “When I went for a job,they asked me for qualifications, which I haven’t got. One of my friends did a mechanic [course] in college and he gets paid more than me.” He can’t apply until his English is better. I’m a salubrious mechanic now, and but my English is not enough,and they pay me less.”Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com