With the ongoing industrial dispute at Delfin Dublin Language school, this is an opportune moment to look at the legislative/accreditive approach to securing and protecting teachers’ pay and conditions. This is principally because the TEFL industry in Ireland is undergoing certain changes (one might say convulsions) in which space has opened up and necessity demanded that teachers respond collectively to this channging landscape. Part of that landscape, is a complex set of negotiations between the Government and Private language school in structuring the market to take advantage of what they preceive to be “economic opportunities” ahead and avoiding the damage caused by language schools suddenly closing (leaving paying international students without courses) and the consequent damage this does to the sector. And, of course, in the midst of this is the Irish trade union, Unite, trying to raise the voices and concerns of teachers in this whole debate. While, the situation is any many ways singular, in that much relates to Ireland only, there is much which relates to other countries “hosting ELT students from abroad” and issues of regulation generally. We confess at the outset to a certain distance from the situation on the ground and are more than happy to be corrected on any incorrect details from colleagues and comrades actually working (or studying) in Ireland.
The Collapse of Grafton College
In December 2018 Grafton College in Dublin closed leaving up to 23 teachers and admin staff unpaid and without work. An event no doubt which would have garnered little attention were it not for the fact also that 470 fee-paying students were left without promised tuition. PIE news reported at the time that this had been the 22nd Language School in Ireland to go into liquidation since 2014. Not only was this hugely embarassing for the sector but it was a situation that the industry had previously sought to resolve following similar collapses way back in 2014/2015. Indeed, Grafton College was part of Marketing English in Ireland (MEI), a recognised grouping of Schools which accredits the quality and standards of courses of its member schools, and therefore fell under a mutually agreed Learner Protection Scheme (introduced in 2014) whereby other schools will step in to offer courses to those students at no extra cost. As far as we can see, however, there is no automatic right to a refund and no appeal system against the alternative course offered. The MEI has no Teacher Protection Scheme for actual staff affected by such closures either.
We might still conclude though that somehow MEI are the still heroes in all in this by rescuing students from an uncertain fate. However, this is to ignore the maneouvres which led to the original school closures in 2014 and the role MEI played in this. Put basically, one sector of the industry, as represented by MEI, was using its greater economic and political muscle against another part of the industry in its attempts to secure greater market share. As we with the case of English UK (the UK MEI equivalent), a prime driver for this a racist scare about competing schools operating as “visa factories” for illegal immigrants. Under the cover of raising standards and “stamping out abuse,” David O’Grady (CEO of MEI) helped lead a government backed task force to close down “sub-standard schools”. The fall out was clearly to reduce the number of schools and ensure MEI increased its market share. Thousands of students were left without courses as our dynamic heroes set about improving standards for the Irish ELT market. There was, of course, no discussion of the pay and conditions of teachers in raising those standards.
Post-2016 the Irish Government has seen a “Brexit Dividend” whereby with the UK becoming less hospitable to students from the EU, it is in a position to grow its ELT sector further. For this reason, it was particulary concerned to see that its friends at MEI had failed them again so miserably. Following the Grafton College collapse it has returned to tightening up its legislative approach to International Provision in the sector, in collaboration with MEI. Of course, MEI is 100% set against any basic provision on pay and conditions for teachers as it against a proper refundable-fees insurance policy for students.
ELT Advocacy Ireland
The excellent initiative ELT Advocacy Ireland is a campaign to improve teachers pay and condition in Ireland. It has a clear and achievable ten point charter of demands. These demands would immediately raise the quality of ELT service provision in Ireland. It is for this reason we talk about an opportune moment for workers to press for their demands and seek improvements to their pay and conditions. ELT Advocacy Ireland has shown clearly that it believes collective action, including and beyond trade union representation, is the key to improving ELT provision.
There are issues about whether a Sectoral Employment Order (a peculiarity of Irish Labour Law) stipulating certain sectoral labour conditions, like standardised salary scales, can deliver the change we need but there is no doubt that union recognition and basic industry standards are the way forward at present.
Regulating the Regulators???
Previously at Marxist TEFL we have been at fault for recommending changes to accreditation which might cause division amongst the teaching body (see our 60% position) by prioritising experienced teachers over less-experienced teachers. Indeed, such positions while perhaps raising pay and conditions in certain areas might close off opportunities to others and shape the sector in an unintended manner (more bureaucracy/managerialism, qualification inflation etc).
Nevertheless, we can see here that in an “organic situation” where teachers (and students) are coming together in a concrete situation it is possible to develop a genuinely democratic and positive perspective on basic rules to be followed in ELT provision. Teachers need to be part of this debate on how the industry should be “regulated” and to challenge the emphasis on profit before people. Whether you can regulate a decent system of ELT into existence is another question entirely, but we can use this as an opportunity to have our voices heard and our interests represented.
Put basically, MEI are not going to improve or guarantee decent standards for ELT students visiting Ireland, that will be down to the courageous striking teachers at Delfin Dublin and elsewhere
Marxist TEFL Group 