Since the College of New Caledonia (CNC) announced the closure of its ENLA program, offering English language education in some iteration since 1976, the local displaced Ukrainian community has taken the situation into its own hands. They’ve organized conversational English sessions at St. George’s Church every Thursday. But while current students can complete their program, uncertainty remains.
Nelia Niukhova, who arrived in Prince George in 2022 and enrolled in ENLA in 2023, is heartened by the gatherings but notes it’s not an equivalent, “some of us came into Prince George because of this program. Learning English, it’s a significant step for our future.”
Achieving Permanent Residency requires a certain IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score and documented work experience—both difficult without structured support. With the Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society (IMSS) also unable to fill the gap, CNC Faculty Association President Marta Tejero laments, “folks need to know English. That’s just the reality of the North.”
Story also available on frequencynews.ca, 88.7 FM in Prince George—Lheidli T’enneh, and cfur.ca/listen-live Mon-Fri 7:30am & 5pm PST
CFUR Radio Society’s journalist, Ian Gregg is funded by the Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) through the Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC).