Government scraps English entry test for maids

[Greatbirdlegend]

 

this was a bloody dumb idea in the first place.

why target the domestic helpers when they were already letting in any tom, dick and harry in other areas without need for english proficiency.

better yet, send all the new immigrants and FTs/FWs for SIP training instead of asking singaporeans to adjust to them.

 

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Government scraps English entry test for maids

New scheme to help them cope with living working here

 

Published on Dec 5, 2011

 

By Shuli Sudderuddin

 

The English entry test which has been the bugbear of first-time maids since 2005 will be scrapped.

 

Maids and the agencies that bring them in have said that the test discourages maids from wanting to work here, causes distress to those who fail and can take up valuable training time.

 

Instead, maids will go through a mandatory programme which will help them cope better with living and working here.

Background story

 

What's new

 

The mandatory English entry test will be replaced with a mandatory Settling-In Programme designed to ease first-time foreign domestic workers into living and working here.

 

A standard biodata template will be introduced for employment agencies to use, to improve the information on incoming maids such as their employment history, skill sets and how this information has been verified. This will facilitate better matching with employers here. The Association of Employment Agencies and CaseTrust will design this biodata template with the Manpower Ministry.

 

A voluntary 'trust mark' will be awarded to better employment agencies in the market. This will promote best practices in the industry.

 

NOT A GOOD GAUGE

 

'While the entry test was introduced with good intentions, we have heard from many of you that it is not a meaningful measure of quality.'

 

Minister of State for Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin

 

The Settling-In Programme (SIP) will be introduced by the middle of next year, Minister of State for Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin said on Sunday. The decision was made following feedback from a review made by the Manpower Ministry (MOM) over the past year, via interviews with 900 maids and 500 employers.

[Assaxefour]

I think its should be the other way round, make singaporean learn tagalog and other foreign language if they want to hire a maid.

[AhJason]

I think Chuan-Jin is only half right.

 

He should make both test compulsory!

[Sosaria]

It was so bl**dy OBVIOUS that even with such a language test, there are many maids that can't converse in English...

 

So the test is just paperwork...