A chinese newspaper (Singtao Daily) written an article about the difficulties of sitting to the Australian citizenship test for refugees arrived in Australia and they have courteously used the product picture of Ozihelp as part of their articles both the printed and website version.

The article is an additonal discussion to another article published by Daily Telegraph. It mentioned that there is a significant amount of refugees will fail the Australian citizenship test for the first time and/or subsequent time. Specially, 23% of refugee who failed the test were from Sudan, 17.5% from Afghanistan and 16% from Iraq. As a result many do not participate to become an Australian Citizen. 

In fact according to the article, the number of people becoming an Australian citizen had reduced to 9,043 between October and December when the number should have been around 30,000.

Also from the NSW teacher federation which is the source of the Daily Telegraph's article. They mentioned that current system is adequate because according to them on the current system, an immigrant arrived on Australia is eligible to enrolled freely in special migrant class (AMEP) where they will be taught the basic english.

Is the Australian citizenship test really that difficult and provided no benefit and values at all as a future Australian citizen?

There are benefits in the implementations of the Australian citizenship test.

• Self learning, teaching and accessing the understanding of civic responsibilities as an Australian citizens.
• Understanding the philosophies of our democratic values and ideologies.
• Understanding the system, basic functions and hierarchy of the Australian government.

These are all important attributes as a role model citizens to our Australian society.

Twitter us (@Ozihelp) of what you think on the Australian Citizenship test? Is it too difficult, particularly for migrant with limited English? Is the current system adequate of providing migrant class with basic English? Should the Australian citizenship test be removed at all? Should the Australian citizenship test be taught in the migrant class.

By Ozihelp Admin

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Sources:

1) http://www.singtao.com.au/AUSTRALIAnews/public/article_v.cfm?articleid=142608&intcatid=1

2) Calls to scrap Aussie citizens test - Daily Telegraph

3) http://www.forourfuture.nswtf.org.au/news/2008/06/10/citizenship-test-review.html

4) "Australian Citizenship - the Common Bond" by DIAC