In Vietnam, parents complain after English center shuts, foreign teachers fail to appear

The IALC Vietnam English Center in Tuy Hoa Ward has closed its premises and posted a sign offering the property for rent, with no classes taking place.

Some parents said the center had promised that courses would be taught entirely by foreign teachers but later told students the teachers faced unspecified problems and could not teach as planned.

One parent said she paid more than VND9 million (US$343) for two courses for her fourth-grade child under a promotion that included a third course free of charge.

The center later announced that in-person classes in Tuy Hoa would be suspended while it merged operations with another center in Dak Lak Province, according to parents.

The Vietnamese teachers continued classes until the end of December 2025 to complete about half of the program before the center closed, with its management promising to refund unused tuition in January 2026.

Some parents said they were unable to contact the center by phone and received responses only through the messaging app Zalo, while attempts to speak directly with the director were unsuccessful.

Dak Lak’s Department of Education and Training said on Wednesday it had reviewed the case following complaints from parents.

According to the department, the center was established in April 2021 under a decision by the then Phu Yen Province education department and later came under Dak Lak’s management as Phu Yen was merged into Dak Lak in July 2025.

Its legal representative is director K.K.Kh., who resides in Ho Chi Minh City.

Officials said previous inspections found the center operating in line with regulations but that they have been unable to contact the director since the complaints emerged.

The landlord told authorities the center stopped operating before the recent Lunar New Year holiday in mid-February and had failed to pay rent and utility bills for two months, leading to the lease being terminated.

A former employee told officials the center stopped classes at the end of December 2025 due to a lack of funds to pay teachers, rent, and utilities.

Authorities said the center refunded tuition to some parents in January but many cases remain unresolved.

Officials said they would continue trying to contact the center’s director and could ask relevant authorities to investigate if contact cannot be established.