Just before Easter, the Irish Council for International Students (ICOS) held an on-line meeting with English language students and agencies all of whom had paid money to International House Galway before prior to its liquidation earlier this year. The majority of the participants were Turkish, but students from Spain, Yemen, and Latin America also took part.
In the aftermath of the closure, many students were relocated to a new school because they had taken out a Learner Protection policy which guaranteed their fees. However, none of the students and agents at the on-line meeting had received a refund or been offered any alternative for the money lost, though several claimed to have paid the school for Learner Protection insurance.
An estimated €40,000 is owed to the students and agencies in course fees. Nor has any meeting of creditors has taken place since the closure though in ICOS’ view it is unlikely that the affected students will recover any money from the liquidation proceedings.
ICOS’ Executive Director, Laura Harmon, said: Current regulations governing the English language sector are failing English language students and damaging Ireland’s reputation.
International House is just one of many school closures that have occurred over the years where students have invested in their education to study English in Ireland and have been left out of pocket with no one being held accountable, she added.
ICOS is calling on the English language sector to show solidarity with all affected students of the International House closure who have been left without their money or the classes for which they paid.
