Why Australian GEOS Schools closed
As the former DoS, as of yesterday, of one of the GEOS schools in Australia, I can say with authority, that if it hadn’t been for the fact that Japan was in financial trouble and as such sifening off millions of dollars from Australia to try and save operations there, we would still be opperational. The Australian schools all had plenty of students and were making money, but all of that money has found its way to Japan with the biggest problem being they have also taken the fees paid by future students, leaving nothing to pay for the running costs here! It makes me incredibly angry that Japan are claiming no responsibility for this, but of course it is also no big surprise. However with the cash cow now gone I can’t see that the rest of the GEOS opperations can last. If you have anything to do with them in Japan or another country I would strongly advise getting out now!
The rumors were true.
The dominoes are falling.
Won’t be long now. More homeless unemployed English teachers to hit the streets soon.
First cracks in Japan will be that students upon hearing of the Australian closure will quit and demand refunds.
Existing and new students will not re-sign their next contracts.
New customers will steer well clear of GEOS.
If they are still running by the end of next month it will be purely on the fumes of an oily rag.
Eight English language schools in limbo January 29, 2010
AAPEight English language schools operated in Australia by the GEOS group have gone into voluntary administration, leaving about 2300 foreign students unsure of their future.
Justin Walsh and Adam Nikitins of Ernst & Young have been appointed administrators to nine companies operating the schools in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Cairns.
They have about 390 employees and international students from a number of different countries.
“The financial position of the companies is such that the directors appointed voluntary administrators,” Mr Walsh and Mr Nikitins said in a statement on Friday.
“School operations have been temporarily suspended while the financial situation of the companies and ability to fund future operations of the schools is assessed over the next few days.”
The companies under administration are: GEOS Melbourne Pty Ltd, GEOS Adelaide Pty Ltd, GEOS Sydney Pty Ltd, GEOS Cairns Pty Ltd, GEOS Gold Coast Pty Ltd, GEOS Perth Pty Ltd, GEOS Brisbane Pty Ltd, GEOS Management Services Pty Ltd and GEOS National English Academy Pty Ltd.
The administrators said a better understanding of the financial situation and a decision on future operations should be known by the close of business on February 1.
“Employees, students and creditors will be advised as soon as possible,” they said.
© 2010 AAP
ANOTHER private English college has closed on the northern beaches leaving teachers and students in the dark over their future.
At 4pm last Friday GEOS Sydney’s Manly Campus was closed and the administrators brought in. Campus doors were locked, with the only information available to the 80 students and eight teachers a note stuck to the window.
It read: “Unfortunately GEOS Australia will be closed from Monday 1st February until further notice. As soon as we have more information regarding the future of the school you will be contacted by person.”
It is the second English language college to close on the northern beaches inside three months after Maewill English College in Brookvale entered voluntary administration last November.
Justin Walsh and Adam Nikitins, of Ernst and Young, have been appointed voluntary administrators to the GEOS group which operate eight schools across Australia, with about 390 employees and about 2300 international students.
“The financial position of the companies is such that the directors appointed voluntary administrators,” a statement from the administrators said. “School operations have been temporarily suspended while the financial situation of the companies and ability to fund future operations is assessed.”
A teacher at GEOS Sydney, who did not wish to be named, said she was angry to learn of the closure. “It is going to be really difficult for people like me who only have $20 in the bank because I will have to find another job quickly,” she said.
“Normally when you lose your job you get a retrenchment or notice but we are getting nothing and it is appalling.”
She said last month the owners had quashed rumours that the school would be closing. “We got a letter closure rumours were hurting the business and that everything was okay.”
The college’s international students will be found alternative placements under the Tuition Assurance Scheme (TAS) which protects the interests of student’s studying in Australian on student visas.
