Language schools suffer downturn

Students are having second thoughts about safety

English language colleges are facing a severe downturn in student numbers.

The colleges, which have become an important part of the economy in many south coast towns, say that uncertainty about safety and the military conflict in Afghanistan has seen overseas students cancelling visits to Britain.

The Embassy English Language Training Centre in Brighton and Hove says that it is facing a 40% to 50% reduction in student numbers.

And there have been reports of other colleges threatened with closure as a result of the sudden reduction in students.

Colin Granlund, principal manager at the Embassy English Language Training Centre, says that students are being influenced by media reports in their own countries and are hesitating about coming to learn English in Britain.

Britain is seen to be closely allied to the United States in this conflict, he says, and students fear that there could be threats to their safety in Britain.

Worried parents

Parents of overseas students already in Britain are worried about their children, he says, with some calling for their children to come home early.

The students who are now putting off booking courses for the new year tend to be from outside Europe, he said.

These would be usually be from countries in South America, Central America and Asia.

The loss of students was "potentially very serious", said Mr Granlund, and would be of concern to the 150 teaching staff in the group's four language schools.

Spending power

Language schools bring a considerable amount of spending power into such south coast towns.

Eastbourne estimates that over 40,000 students a year come to the town - representing a total of 747,000 spending days.

The local council is particularly concerned at reports that French school authorities are warning students against travelling.

And it says that some Japanese and Korean students had asked to go home.

But it also says there are signs that safety fears among language students has prompted some to choose places outside London, including Eastbourne.

It says that numbers for the autumn have been holding up - although the impact would be most likely to be felt in bookings for the new year.

And the council says that it is still keen to develop language teaching for students from the Middle East.