Mustiboy:


While you've raised salient points, it's worth pointing out, however, that there's nothing wrong with using the word "staffs".

When referring to a group of workers, the words "staff" and "staffs" can be used interchangeably.

jimcaddy:
I ask myself that question that why are we made to write IELTs. Is it that our educational system has been deemed bad and so irrelevant that they don't even believe our O'level English results organised by a recognised West African Exams body? Me I feel it's corruption and bad image we have portrayed to the outside world. No one even believes in this country anymore.. Even Nigerians don't believe in the system that produced them anymore. It's so sad and sickening. No one can love America and Canada more than Canadians and Americans. Same way no one can love Nigeria more than Nigerians. We all want to run away from our problems thinking it's the whites that will help us solve the problems. No matter how much we run away, we all cannot finish running away. Nigeria will always remain for us and for our children and generation unborn.

SeriouslySense:
hmm, urgh, okay, objectivity. I would hope, they reduced the cost of writing the test and made it accessible in any state in the country.

There should be consideration for those who are not in the capital or Lagos state, they should have access to such a center in their states.

ednut1:
this is nigeria where people can buy degrees, where some graduates cant read or write well. Abeg they cant scrap it

perambulator:


When you see official communication from some Nigerian organizations and government agencies, you wonder which school did their communications staff attend?

Gee64:
I was among the Federal delegates sent to visit secondary schools in Edo State.
In one of the private schools visited, a teacher was asked what her subject area was, she replied: I teaches English. When asked what her qualification was, she replied: I has a BA in English.

perambulator:


In any event my issue with Nigerians and English is actually communication. I couldn't care less about such things on social media or the internet. I very often do not put an apostrophe on my "don't" or bother with punctuation when I am on social media. My biggest issue is the use of words, the understanding of those words and their meaning because without that we don't have communication. The purpose of language is to communicate!!!! When I say many Nigerian do not understand English, many do not seem to truly understand the meaning of the words they use, or the words you say to them. Use of words like "staffs" is annoying but I get used to it, what is really annoying is when I use a word as it is defined but someone interprets it differently, which happens very often, then we have a communication problem and thats why I say many Nigerians really do not understand English. many do not understand the meanings of English words they use everyday.


I gave the example of the word "viable" in an earlier communication. "Viable" simply means probability of success, but the guy interpreted it differently and thats a typical scenario with a Nigerian. But in reality, saying that something is "not viable" isnt ambiguous but it is only a Nigerian that reads a different meaning to "not viable". To everybody else it simply means low probability of success and not necessarily a verdict of the substance of the subject matter.

PerseDew:


Communication problems is not peculiar to the Nigerian society. It exists everywhere. I once attended a work seminar on Communication where the host asked who is responsible for making sure what is said is understood, is it the speaker or the listener? I replied the speaker because I felt it is more of the job of the person speaking/giving orders to make sure what he/she said is understood.

One could argue it is the listener or both of them. I agree but the way I see it, I prefer to ask if what I said is understood (to explain further if need be) and or listen to the listener's reply to make sure he/she understands me as long as I know the listener has gotten to the age of reason.

And no, it is not only a Nigerian that would misconstrue the meaning of the word "viable".

safarigirl:


This is a more reasonable ask; it should be made affordable and available to a wider group of Nigerians, its validity period should also be extended.

To ask for its total cancellation is rather humorous

perambulator:


Nigerians are actually very bad at english especially the new generation. Just read articles on Nairaland. A good example is the common use of the word "staffs" instead of "staff"

I have noticed that Ghanaians and south African countries Zambia, Tanzania etc have a better grasp of English than Nigerians. Dont assume when speaking to a young Nigerian that they actually understand what you are saying. Nigerians have a habit of hearing one word and construing another meaning to it. Today Someone was trolling me because he clearly did not understand the meaning of the word "viable".

I can understand loose use of English on the internet and social media (we all do it) but my issue is a lot of Nigerians dont actually understand the meaning or proper use of everyday English words. While we all speak in English it is sometimes difficult to communicate with the typical Nigerian in English. Very often I have to ask my staff to repeat what I just said so I know they understood what I meant. We've also bastardized so many words that very often when you use a word as intended, it is interpreted differently by many Nigerians.

airsaylongcome:
We really have misplaced priorities in this country sha. So of all our problems in the country IELTS is what we should be protesting about?

With the terrible English we speak and write in this country? You see people say "I base in Owerri" or "Am from Ibadan" or the really horrible one of "Are my to bring my credentials along?"

Even those that think they are very elite will drop a bombshell of "I will pay installmentally "

We speak a variant of English that is non-standard. We need to be evaluated to see if we speak and write the standard variants. Many of us can identify the standard variant if written but a large percentage of Nigerians cannot speak or write standard English (myself included)

ariketalks:


Have you visited forums dominated by "native English speakers"? I guess not.

Any language proficiency test with a validity period attached is an avenue to rip people off.
Thanks to our population, Nigeria is a viable market for such business to boom but let's not make excuses for greed please.

TheGift:


Oga, stop mixing issues up.

IELTS began in 1980 (Over 40 years now) even before Buhari’s first coming as a military ruler.

IELTS is operative in over 20 African countries , not only Nigeria.

Because you have issues with Buhari does not mean you must drag Him into every issue. It doesn’t make you look smart.

Omicron007:
[s][/s]

Shift one side so that people that have sensible comments on this matter can speak.

We are talking IELTS here, not some useless thread where you come and spam with your long useless and rubbish epistles which you don't even bother to read before posting.

I know of someone who claimed he read Crop Production from a state university but had to take up a career in ass-licking and defending failure and mediocrity as a job.
Of what relevance is the IELTS to such a person?

fujirice:

Please which data do you have to backup this your claim that Ghanaians and South Africans speak better English than Nigerians?
See, this is what I don’t like when people generalize. Yes, you may have had encounters with few people of the stated nationalities that are grounded in English language but that does not mean that they are better off.
I have students in UK (Scotland and England) that I teach. If you see what they write for me, you will marvel. Are you now going to conclude that Nigerians are better than English and Scottish people in English language? Certainly not!
See, if you conduct IELTS in London today, you’d be surprised how many English speaking natives and professionals that will score up to band 5, and I kid you not.
IELTS is a money making machine for these guys which they are using to exploit us.

airsaylongcome:
We really have misplaced priorities in this country sha. So of all our problems in the country IELTS is what we should be protesting about?

With the terrible English we speak and write in this country? You see people say "I base in Owerri" or "Am from Ibadan" or the really horrible one of "Are my to bring my credentials along?"

Even those that think they are very elite will drop a bombshell of "I will pay installmentally "

We speak a variant of English that is non-standard. We need to be evaluated to see if we speak and write the standard variants. Many of us can identify the standard variant if written but a large percentage of Nigerians cannot speak or write standard English (myself included)

Omicron007:


Shift one side so that people that have sensible comments on this matter can speak.

We are talking IELTS here, not some useless thread where you come and spam with your long useless and rubbish epistles which you don't even bother to read before posting.

I know of someone who claimed he read Crop Production from a state university but had to take up a career in ass-licking and defending failure and mediocrity as a job.
Of what relevance is the IELTS to such a person?

[/s]

airsaylongcome:
[s] We really have misplaced priorities in this country sha. So of all our problems in the country IELTS is what we should be protesting about? [/s]

With the terrible English we speak and write in this country? You see people say "I base in Owerri" or "Am from Ibadan" or the really horrible one of "Are my to bring my credentials along?"

Even those that think they are very elite will drop a bombshell of "I will pay installmentally "

We speak a variant of English that is non-standard. We need to be evaluated to see if we speak and write the standard variants. Many of us can identify the standard variant if written but a large percentage of Nigerians cannot speak or write standard English (myself included)

airsaylongcome:
We really have misplaced priorities in this country sha. So of all our problems in the country IELTS is what we should be protesting about?

With the terrible English we speak and write in this country? You see people say "I base in Owerri" or "Am from Ibadan" or the really horrible one of "Are my to bring my credentials along?"

Even those that think they are very elite will drop a bombshell of "I will pay installmentally "

We speak a variant of English that is non-standard. We need to be evaluated to see if we speak and write the standard variants. Many of us can identify the standard variant if written but a large percentage of Nigerians cannot speak or write standard English (myself included)

safarigirl:


This is a more reasonable ask; it should be made affordable and available to a wider group of Nigerians, its validity period should also be extended.

To ask for its total cancellation is rather humorous

perambulator:


Nigerians are actually very bad at english especially the new generation. Just read articles on Nairaland. A good example is the common use of the word "staffs" instead of "staff"

I have noticed that Ghanaians and south African countries Zambia, Tanzania etc have a better grasp of English than Nigerians. Dont assume when speaking to a young Nigerian that they actually understand what you are saying. Nigerians have a habit of hearing one word and construing another meaning to it. Today Someone was trolling me because he clearly did not understand the meaning of the word "viable".

I can understand loose use of English on the internet and social media (we all do it) but my issue is a lot of Nigerians dont actually understand the meaning or proper use of everyday English words. While we all speak in English it is sometimes difficult to communicate with the typical Nigerian in English. Very often I have to ask my staff to repeat what I just said so I know they understood what I meant. We've also bastardized so many words that very often when you use a word as intended, it is interpreted differently by many Nigerians.