Students Not Impressed With Buyout

You now know that Nova is officially finished. G.Communication has decided to take over and reopen 30 schools and eventually expand to 200 schools. It's a raw deal for instructors. Since there's no time frame for when all 200 schools will be reopened it's a safe bet that most teachers won't be getting their old jobs back. How much longer can one sit around and wait? The more I think about it, this is less a takeover of Nova than it is picking over of its juicy bits and leaving the carcass by the wayside.

The Asahi Shimbun was quick out of the gate this morning with an article on the angry reaction of the students. Here's a translation of the article.

Nova students not impressed, still no refunds

A sponsor for collapsed English conversation school operator Nova has been found, but only 30 schools are slated to be opened. There is also no prospect of the pre-paid lesson fees being refunded. Disapproval and anger regarding the news has been swift.

A female researcher taking lessons in Toshima-ku, Tokyo said of the news of Nagoya-based G.Communication taking over some of Nova's business, "This doesn't help students." Although students were told they could take lessons by paying 25% of lesson fees, she questioned the offer, "How many people are willing to continue under these conditions?" After Nova closed its doors, she received email from a friends asking similar questions who had purchased large lesson packages and had unused lessons. "It's nothing to be happy about," she groused.

A 72-year old man who had been studying French at Nova for about 12 years, sighed, "I had hoped that I would be able to take lessons as before, but only the ownership has changed." He is stuck with about ¥150,000 worth of unused lessons. Above all else, he feels a sense of letdown at being unable to study French after Nova closed.

A 40-year old man in Misato, Saitama sent his two children, one a university student, the other in high school, to Nova. He has paid more than ¥400,000 in lesson fees since March and has roughly the same amount left in unused lessons. The man expressed his displeasure saying , "It wouldn't be a problem if they changed owners and continued operating, but it's really regrettable that they closed schools and did not refund lesson fees."

A 30-year old woman, who had been taking lessons twice a week for the last 7 years at a Nova school in Osaka lamented, "It's nothing but a loss for us students." She still has ¥100,000 in unused lessons. She thought about continuing her studies but decided against it: "I'm angry that I paid a lot of money to a company only to have it end up like this. I have no motivation [to study]."

A 20-year old Hyogo man who had been taking lessons in Osaka commented, "I don't want the new business to be money-driven. I want them to at least hold a meeting and give me some information."

Original article

ＮＯＶＡ受講生「支援と言えぬ」　授業料返らず

経営破綻（はたん）した英会話大手「ＮＯＶＡ」に、支援企業が現れた。だが当面引き継ぐのは、わずか３０教室。巨額の前払い授業料の返還も見通しが立たない。受講生からは怒りや失望の声が相次いだ。

東京都豊島区の教室に通う大学研究員の女性（３０）は、名古屋市のベンチャー企業が支援に入ると決まったことについて「受講生にとっては支援といえない」と話す。ＮＯＶＡ受講生には今後、授業料の２５％で受講させると伝えられたが、「そうまでして続けたい人がどれだけいるか」と疑問を示す。大量の前払い分を残す知人の受講生から教室閉鎖後、こんなメールが届いたという。「支援先が現れることに希望をつなぎます」。待ちに待った支援企業の登場だったが、「何もありがたくない」と憤った。

「経営者が代わるだけで元のように通えることを願っていたのに」。ＮＯＶＡで１２年ほど仏語を学んできた男性（７２）は、ため息をついた。前払い授業料のうち１５万円分ほどが未受講。だが、それよりもせっかく学んだ仏語が閉鎖以来使えずに衰えを感じる。大幅縮小で仏語教室自体が無くならないか心配だ。

埼玉県三郷市の４０代の男性会社員は、大学生と高校生の子供ふたりをＮＯＶＡの教室に通わせてきた。３月以降、２人分の前払い授業料四十数万円を支払い、まだ相当残っていた。「経営者が代わって授業が続けば問題なかったが、教室は閉鎖、授業料も返ってこないなら本当に悔しい」と不満を口にした。

「私たち受講生は損しただけ」と嘆く３０代の女性会社員は、大阪市内の教室に７年前から週１、２回通ってきた。前払いした授業料がまだ１０万円分残る。しばらく英会話は続けたいと思うが、「大金を払った会社がこんなひどいところだったなんて自分に腹が立つ。しばらくモチベーションが上がりそうにない」。

大阪市内の別の教室に通っていた兵庫県の２０代男性は「新たな企業には金もうけ主義の経営をしてほしくない。とにかく説明会を開いて情報を与えてほしい」と話した。