GRE, TOEFL suspended indefinitely in Nigeria

The organisers said the suspension was for security reasons.

Nigerian students planning to write qualifying examinations into colleges and universities abroad should start seeking other alternatives as Education Testing Services, ETS, has suspended both the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) in Nigeria “due to security concerns.”

ETS is the world’s largest private nonprofit educational testing and assessment organization. It conducts examinations in almost all the countries of the world.

In a terse statement dated November 7, published on its website, ETS said both examinations have been suspended indefinitely in Nigeria.

“Due to security concerns in Nigeria, GRE® and TOEFL® testing in the country has been suspended for an indefinite period. Candidates who have appointments to take the TOEFL or GRE Tests will be contacted by ETS to process a refund.”

The organisation did not say the specific security threats it has come under. But the organisation may be acting proactively in the face of repeated attacks of educational institutions by suspected members of the radical Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

The GRE is a standardized test that is required for admission for graduate (Post-graduate) courses in the United States and business programmes, especially Master in Business Administration (MBA) worldwide.

The TOEFL is a test meant to test the English Language proficiency of non-native English language speakers wishing to enroll in United States universities and other English speaking universities and courses around the world.