English language education network fears 90% drop in revenues
The English language education sector, estimated to be worth €1.2bn to the Irish economy each year, is expected to see its revenues drop by up to 90% due to the impact of Covid-19, putting thousands of jobs at risk.
That is the warning from the Progressive College Network, a representative body for a number of English language schools across the country.
With up to 130,000 students attending English language courses in Ireland each year, the sector is said to support 5,000 permanent jobs and an additional 9,000 seasonal and part-time roles.
The sector has been bracing for thousands of job losses and the potential closure of businesses as restrictions on international travel look set to remain for some time, according to David Russell, chairman of the Progressive College Network.
The sector has now reached a critical juncture, said Mr Russell.
“Over half of the sector’s revenues comes from students on short-term courses of less than three weeks, and self-isolation requirements mean that these students won’t travel,” he said.
It is not just schools that will suffer, he said. “Thousands of host families, bus companies, and the wider tourism industry will also lose out.”
Progressive College Network has called for measures including an €80m Government-backed loan scheme, with loan amounts to be based on schools’ turnover and revenue contributions.
The group has also called for the waiving of commercial rates for 2020 and a reduced rate of employers PRSI for education personnel of 5% for a period of three years.
The group has called for the continuation of the Stamp 2 visa offered to international students, enabling them to work part-time during their course, and a one-off student support grant for students enrolled in delayed or deferred courses.
Meanwhile, further measures have been announced by the Department of Justice to assist international students studying English here who have been impacted by the pandemic.
Students who left the State due to Covid-19 before completing their studies may return and resume their studies.
The duration of their absence will not count towards the two-year maximum period of English language study allowed.
Language students who are still in the State, and who have completed their two years but cannot return home due to the virus, may remain as students until the end of the year. This is provided they re-enrol in an online course of study for the remainder of the year.
