Closure of TEFL Schools in Dublin

playedalive

Just wondering what other teachers think about the news of yet another English Language School closing:

http://www.thejournal.ie/english-in-dublin-closed-1650739-Sep2014

Personally, as an EFL teacher, I am thrilled to see that ACELS and the Department of Education are properly vetting these schools, and those that are facilitating students that are coming to Ireland on these 'student visas', not going to school and are just coming here to work and abuse the conditions of their visas. Of course, this isn't the official reason for the closure of English in Dublin, but stories of English schools doctoring their records to hide these facts have arisen in other cases.

For me, these stories just show the utter corruption and greed for money that is, unfortunately, in some parts of the TEFL industry in Ireland. Of course, I have worked and trained in good schools here in Dublin, but I have seen, first hand, how some language schools facilitate these students by holding illegal Evening classes (contrary to ACELS guidelines, which I learned after working in one school) and just welcome all this non EU students (Example: Brazilians) who pay for year courses just to get a student visa granted, don't bother turning up and just work. Some of these language schools don't care and are happy to be a 'visa racket' for a lot of these Non EU students (they have to show payment of a year's course, in most cases, to be granted the visa by Irish Immigration). I am surprised AFAIK that Irish Immigration does not get involved and deport the obvious offenders.

Of course, I have a heart and can understand that a lot of these people do 'break the law' to change their lives from horrible lives back in their home countries. Hell, I know there are undocumented Irish nationals living in America illegally. But, looking upon this from an Educational Perspective, it is starting to show the greed of some of these schools that are happy enough to help these students break the law and seek work, much to detriment of people who are genuinely on their student visas to improve their career/personal prospects. It's horrible that these schools close and genuine students lose their money, all because some people don't 'play fair' on their visa conditions and the school's own vested interests.. It also shows that Ireland is quickly becoming a easy system to come in and look for work, which is not helping the rising unemployment rate if people who are not supposed to work are working.

gerundio

Another school closed. Is it time for EFL teachers to unionize and demand protection for their professional careers or is the EFL sector merely an "industry", as it's often described ?

There are those in the "industry " who might applaud the closure of another school so that more reputable ones can fly the flag on behalf of a streamlined and prestigious cohort of schools.

Do the fees asked of clients in the EFL sector amount to enough to pay equivalent teaching salaries in the public teaching sector?

CiboC

gerundio wrote: »

Do the fees asked of clients in the EFL sector amount to enough to pay equivalent teaching salaries in the public teaching sector?

It's a chalk and cheese comparison, an EFL school has to (try to!) operate as self sustaining business. They get no external financial support, no state subvention, teachers are not paid by the Department of Education, they have to pay rates, etc.

There is a considerable admin overhead in being a recognised school too, all of which must be funded by fees charged to students.

The damage done by the 'cowboy' operators is not just to students who have lost fees paid.

Regulated schools have suffered from the reputation of EFL in Ireland being damaged and also from financial hardship caused by the 'poaching' of students from regulated schools by the cowboys.

gerundio

We might be actually on the same side. However, I'm looking at the issue from a different perspective. I believe that EFL teachers are professional teachers. I also know that the Dept of Education recognize them as such. The fees from the clients pay for all overheads, including teacher's salaries. If the EFL schools were to be managed by the department of Education, the teachers would be afforded the salaries and respect that they merit.
Private secondary schools receive subvention from the state. Why don't EFL schools get the same treatment given that they act as feeder schools for Secondary and Tertiary education in this and other states.
The accreditation system needs to be overhauled to safeguard the learner and the professional teachers, who are qualified to teach in the EFL sector. Nonetheless, their fellow professionals are not qualified.
Teachers should stand shoulder to shoulder in this mess.

yosser hughes

I'm amazed it's taken this long for these schools to be exposed and closed. This has been going on for years.
Then again when you have the likes of Batt O'Keefe a former Minister of Education involved but denying all knowledge of shady practice, there may lie the answer as to why nothing was done during the Celtic Bubble.
The owners of some of these schools were Bangladeshi. How did they get visas? I am assuming they were awarded them as they were seen to be setting up a business and therefore providing employment? Cash for visas? A la Albert Reynolds and his govt? I believe it's still going on.
This is another example of reaping what we sow with regard to light touch or no regulation at all. Blind eyes turned and sure if small business were able to get cheap non-eu labour as a result well happy days all round.
Make no mistake the authorities and civil servants knew damn well what was going on but ignored it. Now the reputational damage will cost the country and those schools that operate legitimately. Thankfully the Sunday Times seem interested as none of the other papers seem bothered..

CiboC

gerundio wrote: »

We might be actually on the same side. However, I'm looking at the issue from a different perspective. I believe that EFL teachers are professional teachers.

I agree. Many of the people I have met in the EFL industry are committed, professional and talented educators.

gerundio wrote: »

given that they act as feeder schools for Secondary and Tertiary education in this and other states.

Not strictly true. If you look at the student profile of an EFL school you will find that only a small percentage of their student numbers will go on to second or third level education in Ireland. Many of the students are here for short courses, especially during the summer. Many of the year round adult students are here to improve their proficiency as much as they can before returning home. In that context I don't think many would want funds from the Department of Education diverted to support students in EFL schools.

It is particularly difficult to get a student visa for adults from certain countries for EFL courses, even if they are intending to move on into third level colleges. The mandarins at Department of Justice seem to think that a student, after improving their English in another country (and developing links with that country), will up sticks and move to somewhere that they have never been before to take a third level course. Needless to say, this does not happen very often.

When you consider that all the fees paid by a student for an EFL course are generated abroad but spent entirely in Ireland (lets ignore the UK chain franchises that have appeared over the last few years for this point!), this is a massive loss to the Irish economy.

yosser hughes wrote: »

I'm amazed it's taken this long for these schools to be exposed and closed. This has been going on for years.

It has been, and many in the legitimate sector have been complaining about it for years. I know for a fact that certain high profile politicians (who feigned shock a few months ago) were made fully aware of many of the abuses that were going on years ago.

yosser hughes wrote: »

This is another example of reaping what we sow with regard to light touch or no regulation at all.

There are plenty of regulations governing this sector. The ACELS framework generally require a high standard from providers who want to get Dept of Education recognition and are well regarded.

The real problem is that recognition by the Dept. was voluntary, there was no requirement to do it. The disreputable providers got around the regulations covering study and work programmes by offering courses accredited by organisations outside of Ireland. This is finally being stamped out with the new regulations taking effect from January but it remains to be seen how much damage has been done to legitimate EFL schools.