EC English language school halts new student arrivals over weekend

This article was updated on Friday at 3.15pm with FELTOM's statement

EC English, a Malta-founded language school, has halted new student arrivals for the weekend, this newsroom is informed.

Sources said that further information is expected next week. A letter that had been sent to agents reportedly mentioned unforeseen operational circumstances as the reason for the stoppage.

The news has raised concerns about the company’s future operations.

The school was founded in Malta in 1991, and now operates internationally, with schools in the USA, Canada, the UK, Ireland, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Its website states that it enrols around 40,000 students from more than 140 countries each year.

The issue also does not seem to be limited to Malta, with Languages Canada, a language organisation, noting that EC has suspended new student arrivals worldwide for the coming weekend.

The language school previously announced in that it was closing two centres this year, one in Bristol, the UK and the other in Montreal, Canada.

Questions have been sent to EC.

FELTOM working closely with EC to understand the situation

The Federation of English Language Teaching Organisations Malta (FELTOM), a non-profit organisation which represents a large number of English language teaching organisations in the country, issued a statement. It took note of an EC communication that was circulated on 10th September to international agents regarding students who were "due to travel to its adult schools."

“Understandably, this communication has raised a number of question and concerns among students, agents, schools and other partners within the international ELT community.”

It said that since becoming aware of the situation, FELTOM has been “working closely with EC English Malta, the ELT Council, our member schools and other relevant stakeholders to understand the situation and, most importantly, to ensure that the interests and wellbeing of students remain at the centre of all discussions.”

It said that its members schools responded with a willingness to cooperate and support where needed.

“It is also important to emphasise that Malta’s ELT sector continues to fare well,” FELTOM said, noting that it remains confident in the resilience of the sector and its ability to work collectively when challenges arise.