The Department of Education and Training has dissolved 20 centers and considered similar options for 19 other Apax Leaders centers.
According to the direction of the Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee on April 8, the Department of Education and Training was assigned to coordinate with relevant departments, branches, People's Committees of districts and Thu Duc City to strengthen coordination in resolving issues related to Apax Leaders English Center.
The Department of Education and Training reported that it had decided to dissolve 20 Apax centers at the end of March. The Department is coordinating with local management agencies to review and assess the actual situation of "serious violations of regulations on management, organization, and operation of foreign language and information technology centers" according to Decree 46/2017. With this violation, the remaining 19 centers are at risk of being dissolved.
List of 20 Apax Leaders centers dissolved.
Regarding the centers in District 6 and Phu Nhuan, Apax reported that they will relocate and reopen in June. However, the Department is considering suspending educational activities for these two centers due to objective reasons that cannot ensure normal operations.
To ensure the rights and interests of students, the Department mobilizes foreign language centers in the area to support the reception of Apax Leaders students with preferential tuition fees in case these two centers do not ensure conditions to continue operating.
Parents and students who have disputes with Apax are instructed by the Department to contact the competent authorities for resolution.
Apax Leaders English Center in Phu Nhuan District, morning of March 26. Photo: Dinh Van
Apax Leaders is a chain of English teaching centers for children belonging to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thuy's Egroup ecosystem. Since the end of 2022, the chain has been complained by many parents in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Dak Lak, and Da Nang because many centers have closed, the teaching quality is not as committed, "taking money and abandoning customers" and demanding tuition refunds.
Apax has nearly 11,300 students in Ho Chi Minh City. After 39/41 centers stopped operating, parents of 4,400 students wanted to withdraw tuition, 6,000 students put their studies on hold and 839 students are studying.
After many negotiations, by March last year, the parents were divided into two groups by Apax Leaders with different repayment schedules. Many parents in group 1 received their full money back, through three installments, lasting from June to August 2023.
The second group was promised to pay back tuition in five installments of 20% each, expected from October 2023 to April 2024. However, the company later reneged on its commitment and proposed a new repayment schedule, extending to the end of 2025, before announcing insolvency at the end of 2023.
In Ho Chi Minh City, Apax Leaders said it still owes parents nearly VND94 billion in tuition fees. In addition, the unit owes VND11.5 billion in salaries and is behind on paying VND32 billion in insurance for teachers and staff; and VND9 billion in rent.
After Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thuy, Chairman of Egroup, was arrested on charges of fraud and property appropriation at the end of March, Apax announced that it would stop refunding tuition fees and confirming debts with parents.
Le Nguyen
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