You cannot come and learn English in the UK unless you can already speak English. This 'catch 22' approach is part of the government's latest crackdown on foreign students.
It would be a humorous piece of government doublethink if it wasn't so potentially economically damaging. Bournemouth and Poole's language schools are worth an estimated £200 million a year to the local economy. The rule changes will lead to many well-run schools having to shut down courses, lay-off staff or worse and reduce the income of many local residents who rent out rooms to students.
The government has introduced the new rules because of concerns that some students are abusing the system to work illegally. But if there is a problem it is with the enforcement of existing rules rather than an admissions 'loophole'.
Since last year all language schools have had to be accredited by the UK Border Authority (UKBA) before being allowed to admit students. To keep their licence they have to show that are monitoring students effectively and report any who miss lectures or courses. One language school manager told me that those who arrive to do basic English courses are in any case sponsored and monitored by their own governments as well. They come to Britain to get the language skills necessary to further their careers back home, not to work.
The problem is not with the schools or the students doing basic English. It is the lack of enforcement by UKBA. In the rare cases where a student is asked to leave their course, UKBA is far too slow to take action to ensure they also depart the country. Worse the continued absence of exit checks – abolished for cost-saving reasons by the Conservative government in the 1990s – means there is no way of checking that someone has left.
Exit checks, coupled with the new sponsorship system and better enforcement by UKBA would make tinkering with the admission rules unnecessary, leaving local language schools to get on with the job of teaching their students.
