AP to certify English skills of state students through TOEFL – Times of India

VISAKHAPATNAM: Following a series of measures to improve the spoken and reading skills of students in the English language, the Andhra Pradesh government has decided to enter into an agreement with Education Testing Services (ETS). This is to assess the skills of the students through an examination and certification of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A total of 30,01,757 students of the state will be benefitted from this initiative, consisting of 12,45,191 students in primary section and 17,56,566 students in the secondary section.
Students of classes 3rd to 9th will have the opportunity to be assessed on listening and reading skills in English. And the students of class 10th to be assessed on English speaking skills. This has been proposed in line with the packages such as the TOEFL Young Students Series (YSS) TOEFL Primary Package, TOEFL Junior Standard Package, and TOEFL Junior Speaking Test. According to the state officials, firstly it will give students in government schools, who are predominantly from marginalised backgrounds, confidence to speak and comprehend English with an internationally accepted proficiency. This will also enhance their ability to clear advanced English assessments required for access to foreign universities and employment.
Secondly, for those who are not accessing those opportunities abroad and stay back within the state and country, it will enhance the quality of services they will be able to provide in the professional sector. This will prove invaluable for improved quality of services in tourism catering to international and national tourists, hospitality, sales and customer relations, gig-economy and many other areas thus establishing Andhra Pradesh as a sought-after destination for setting up business operations as well as tourism.