The Value of English. New research shows that a person who learns English can increase his or her earning power by around 25%. The research was carried out for The British Council, an education and cultural organisation based in the UK. The research compares five countries, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Pakistan to Cameroon and Rwanda. The first three have an English-speaking background and the latter two a French-speaking background. The research shows that developing economies need access to English if they are to grow within the global economy. But the research also showed that the benefits of English are mainly felt by ‘urban elites’. These people have access to better education and better job opportunities. Not everyone was enthusiastic about the research. A journalist in Pakistan, Zubeida Mustafa, said ‘the benefits of English are restricted to a tiny minority and have resulted in ineffective education policy. Michael Carrier from the British Council said that more time and money should be invested in teaching English in developing countries and in trying to bridge the gap between rural and city populations. This is the link if you want to see the whole report. Lindsey |
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