E2L students have been a problem when sharing the airways for some time. Some of them should have never been sent on a X/C.
Although there is a process in place which should (?) seek a certain level of English understanding and speech by the students it is obviously not working.
I believe commercial considerations have taken over, so that the flying school can bank the $ before the student goes elsewhere.
The standard of English should be set and examined by CASA or some other body that does not have a commercial influence on the outcome.
Using 'standard phrases' do help but are not enough from my experience.