VietNamNet Bridge – A lot of foreign language centers in Hanoi and HCM City have suddenly disappeared, causing learners to stop learning halfway.

Foreign language centers at every corner of streets

A lot of “foreign language center streets” have turned up in HCM City. The centers have been seen in the inner districts of Binh Thanh, 10 and 1 to the suburb districts of Thu Duc and Tan Binh. On the Hang Xanh crossroad, one can find at least 10 foreign language centers with hoardings hung over here and there.

All the foreign language centers promise ideal learning conditions for learners – modern labs, international partners, native speaking teachers, modern teaching method, international degrees and international curriculums.

The head office of an English Center in district 9 was well decorated and equipped. However, the classrooms of the center were located behind the office, which people have to follow a small way on the side to reach to. At the end of the 12 meter way, one would see the iron footsteps that led to the second floor, where there were the classrooms updated from the house rooms.

The same things could be seen at many other language centers: well decorated hoardings, lightened reception rooms and cramped classrooms. In order to attract more learners, the centers offer tuition reductions and gifts.

The language center in Binh Thanh district collects VND3 million for a course. But if learners register to follow two courses, he would have to pay VND4.5 million only for 12 months of studying. The tuitions prove to be very attractive to students.

However, the foreign language centers always don’t do what they promise. Thanh V, a learner at a center in Thu Duc district, said the promised low tuitions are just for the courses for the beginners. Meanwhile, one would have to study there at least for six months to be able to learn with foreign teachers.

QH, who went to a foreign language center, said she has given up a class though she paid the tuition of VND3 million for a 12-month training course. She expected the lessons with native speaking teachers, but the teachers only went to class occasionally.

The foreign language centers which vanish into the air

Some days ago, iEnglish, a foreign language center at No 307 Vo Van Ngan in Thu Duc district, suddenly disappeared. The learners at the center said that the managers quietly shut down the center and left without giving any information to learners.

A learner said she followed a training course which opened in May 2013, and she had to pay the tuition of VND6 million for the whole course.

“What I heard about the problems with the board of directors has come true. I cannot contact anyone since July 1,” she said.

Prior to that, STI, an informatics and English center in district 7, which had hundreds of learners, also suddenly disappeared.  The students there did not know who to lodge complaints to in order to claim back money. There have been so many centers that “noisily makes debut, quietly leave.”

According to Nguyen Tien Dat, Deputy Director of the HCM City Education and Training Center, says there are about 700 foreign language centers in the city where there are 50,000 learners.

GD & TD