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Canada accepts TOEFL Essentials for economic migration

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Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)’s acceptance of the ETS test will introduce competition to the testing space, which is currently inhabited by the IELTS General, PTE Core and CELPIP.  

“The tests that are currently being accepted by IRCC cost as much as $350 (plus tax!),” English testing expert, Michael Goodine, told The PIE News. 

“The team at ETS has a golden opportunity to introduce a more affordable product that puts pressure on the other players to be a bit more competitive in terms of pricing. 

“It looks like a big win for consumers,” Goodine added, highlighting that the injection of a new test could also fuel improvements in customer experience.  

What’s more, as the IRCC only accepts in-person tests, a new network of test centres will likely improve accessibility in geographic terms, reducing travel time for test-takers. 

The team at ETS has a golden opportunity to introduce a more affordable product

Michael Goodine, Test Resources

News of the additional test was announced on last week, though IRCC acceptance has not yet begun and test location details are yet to be shared by the global testing giant. 

While TOEFL iBT was developed for academic admissions, TOEFL Essentials offers “a shorter, more accessible option for individuals who need to demonstrate proficiency for a broader range of purposes, including immigration and professional pathways,” said ETS.  

Though the Canadian government is making considerable efforts to reduce temporary migration, its 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan also sets out targets to attract talent in key sectors including healthcare, engineering and technology; pathways that ETS aim to serve with the new test.  

According to Goodine, the test stands out from the more traditional IELTS and CELPIP tests thanks to its use of AI scoring, the wide range of question types, and its relatively short duration of one and a half hours.  

“That said… the TOEFL will for the first time be in direct competition with the PTE Core Test, which is also considered a very contemporary product,” he added.  

Though the announcement relates to permanent economic pathways, it is understood that TOEFL Essentials is currently accepted by the University of Ottawa, with IRCC regulations allowing colleges in Canada to accept whichever tests they deem acceptable.  

“Of the four tests now accepted by IRCC, I think this will be the only one that can be used for both academic and immigration purposes,” Goodine predicted.  

In June, the cost of taking TOEFL Essentials increased to USD $199, up from approximately USD $100-$120 depending on the market. Reasons for the hike were unclear at the time. 



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Sparkwork Group Appoints Venkatesh N S as CTO to Drive AI-Powered Personalized Learning at SisuCare Education

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SisuCare Education, part of Sparkwork Group, today announced the appointment of Venkatesh N S as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). With over 23 years of experience building and scaling technology across education, healthcare, fintech, and AI-driven platforms, Venkatesh will lead SisuCare’s technology strategy as the company accelerates its mission to deliver trusted, AI-powered, personalized learning for learners and educators worldwide.

Venkatesh’s career has been defined by building systems that empower people and creating technology that makes a difference. Over 23 years, Venkatesh has led large-scale digital transformation initiatives, architected global cloud-native solutions reaching millions of users, and built AI-powered platforms. He holds several U.S. patents in virtualization technologies and has published multiple technical papers on scalable cloud architectures and related innovations, underscoring his commitment to driving innovation in scalable, high-impact technologies. Equally important, Venkatesh is recognized for his leadership in mentoring high-performing teams, nurturing a culture of innovation, and championing human-centered design.

“These values have guided me throughout my journey, from my early days as an engineer to leading global technology teams: innovate with purpose, work together, and always keep the human at the center of the technology,” said Venkatesh. “At SisuCare, we have the opportunity to combine cutting-edge AI with the care and insight of great educators, creating adaptive learning experiences that respond in real time to each student’s needs.”

Strengthening Technology Leadership and Team Excellence

Venkatesh joins SisuCare to strengthen the technology team and provide mentorship, leadership, and strategy. As CTO, he will help shape clear priorities, support team growth, and ensure the work consistently advances SisuCare’s mission and the needs of learners and educators.

“I believe the future of education is not just about delivering content, but about delivering transformation,” Venkatesh added. “If we do this right, we won’t just be improving education, we’ll be reshaping the future of how the world learns.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome Venkatesh to SisuCare,” said Bijay Baniya, CEO of SisuCare & Sparkwork. “Venkatesh brings a rare blend of technical depth, experience operating at scale, and business leadership. His track record of building global, cloud-native AI platforms and his commitment to purposeful innovation make him the perfect leader to advance our vision for truly personalized learning. Together, we’ll empower educators, inspire learners, and set a new standard for responsible AI in education.”

Near-Term Focus Areas Under Venkatesh’s Leadership

  • A scalable, cloud-native platform for adaptive, real-time learning experiences
  • Responsible and transparent AI: privacy, safety, and inclusion by design
  • Powerful educator tools that amplify teaching, assessment, and mentorship
  • Global readiness and interoperability with institutions and partners
  • A culture of innovation: mentorship, cross-functional collaboration, and rapid experimentation

About SisuCare

SisuCare Education is a California-based nursing education provider approved by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to deliver training for Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Certified Home Health Aide (CHHA) programs, as well as offering a Director of Staff Development (DSD) certification. As one of California’s largest self-paced and hybrid CNA training programs, SisuCare meets learners where they learn best, providing opportunities to thousands of students needing access and flexible options beyond a traditional, fully in-person training model. Sisucare Education is part of Sparkwork Group, which offers global enterprise learning and education platforms to businesses. With this appointment, SisuCare strengthens its position at the intersection of education and AI, advancing its mission to prepare learners for the future of work.

Media Contact
Company Name: SisuCare Education (Sparkwork Group)
Contact Person: Bijay Baniya, CEO (Chief Executive Officer)
Email: Send Email
Phone: (213) 537-8360
City: Stanton
State: CA
Country: United States
Website: www.sisucare.com



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The Guardian view on free nursery places: risks as well as rewards must be monitored | Editorial

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With the change of season, ministers know they must get back on the front foot after weeks during which their opponents have made the political weather. The launch of a new, more generous regime for funding early years education in England should help. The first of September was keenly awaited by hundreds of thousands of working parents of children aged between nine months and four. As of now, they are entitled to 30 free childcare or nursery hours a week.

The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, is right to stress that this is the biggest-ever expansion of early years provision – described by the Institute for Fiscal Studies as “a new branch of the welfare state”. Equivalent to about £7,500 per year, per child, this is worth more, to most women in full-time work, than abolishing their income tax and national insurance contributions. Working-age parents, particularly those with larger families, have been dealt with less generously by the tax and benefits systems in recent years than under the Blair and Brown governments. The UK has higher childcare costs than most leading economies. So it is right that parents of the youngest children are targeted with support.

Implementation will need to be closely monitored, however. Most of the new funding will flow to private providers. Ms Phillipson is a strong advocate for new nurseries attached to primary schools, but these are small in number. Families are being given additional funding, but not a new public service. The new subsidy will not cover fees in full. Many nurseries face shortages of trained staff, while the number of childminders – usually women working at home – keeps on falling.

While there are many good private and non-profit nurseries, as well as public ones overseen by councils, there is cause for concern about the way that this market has developed. As in children’s social care and special needs education, private-equity owned businesses control a growing number of settings. Last year, academics published research showing that privately run care homes were disproportionately likely to be closed by regulators. In children’s social care, the Competition and Markets Authority judged that private owners were making excessive profits and carrying too much debt, leading to unacceptable risks.

Ministers must ensure that such shocking failures are not repeated in the nursery sector. As a first step, Ofsted inspections should increase from their current six-yearly cycle to a four-yearly one – the same as schools. The current disparity sends a terrible signal about early years’ lowly status.

Another issue is the impact of the changes on poorer children who do not meet the eligibility criteria because their parents do not work or do not meet the £9,518 earnings threshold. While some vulnerable families already qualify for additional childcare, experts are right to worry that the existing attainment gap could grow as a result of a policy that grants extra funding to under‑fives from wealthier homes.

This is the logical but troubling consequence of a policy whose chief aim is to enable parents to work, rather than invest in early years education as an intrinsic good. The hope must be that rules change if these fears are realised, and that “family hubs” – which the Tories brought in after vandalising Sure Start – make a contribution to these families’ welfare in the meanwhile. Ms Phillipson has a lot on her plate. Extra spending on early years is welcome – but it needs proper oversight.



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Badenoch urged to ‘come clean’ after doubt cast on Stanford University claim | Kemi Badenoch

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Labour and the Liberal Democrats have called for Kemi Badenoch to come clean about her claims of an offer from Stanford University at the age of 16, after former admissions staff said she had described an impossible scenario.

The Labour MP Peter Prinsley has written to the Conservatives leader saying she should lay out the specifics of how the alleged offer came about, given the doubts cast over her story. The Lib Dem education spokesperson, Munira Wilson, said Badenoch risked undermining trust.

Badenoch has defended her claim to have received an offer as a teenager in Nigeria from the elite university to study medicine, sometimes described by her as pre-med, even though the university does not offer that course for undergraduates.

Admissions staff have also said the Conservative leader’s assertion she was offered a place on exam results alone, and was offered a partial scholarship, would not have been possible, with no offers made on that basis.

Jon Reider, the admissions officer during the period Badenoch applied, told the Guardian he had been responsible for international admissions and scholarships and had not offered one to Badenoch.

Badenoch doubled down on Monday, telling reporters she had indeed received offers based on her exam results. “All I will say is that I remember the very day those letters came to me. It was not just from Stanford. I was 16, I had done very well in my SATs,” she said. “But this is 30 years ago, I don’t have the papers, and what the Guardian is doing is reporting on hearsay rather than talking about what the government is doing.”

Multiple former admissions staff and US academics have told the Guardian that Stanford has never made offers based only on SATs – US standardised tests – with no exceptions even for royalty or child prodigies.

Prinsley, a former hospital consultant, wrote to Badenoch to say her claims have been “called into serious question by people in a position to understand the situation, and I would be grateful if you could demonstrate that you have been telling the truth”.

He said the Tory leader should clear up whether she had applied to Stanford and whether a place and financial aid had been offered.

A Labour source said: “Honesty and integrity aren’t optional qualities for those who serve as the leader of His Majesty’s official opposition. The uncertainty surrounding Kemi Badenoch’s Stanford University claims raises important questions that the public deserve to know the answers to.

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“Badenoch needs to come clean about what’s happened here and whether she’s been telling the truth to the British people.”

Wilson also wrote to Badenoch saying she should come clean. “If Kemi Badenoch cares about restoring trust, she should start by explaining her own academic record,” she said. “Failing to come clean over these allegations would send a message to the thousands of pupils who just received their exam results that their hard work does not matter and that you can just bluff your way to the top.”



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