12: The Big Names Fall First: EC English Halts Arrivals in 7 Countries

EC English, one of the biggest names in English language teaching, has told agents to tell their students not to get on the plane. It halted all new arrivals at its schools in seven countries for the weekend of 12 September, citing "unforeseen operational circumstances." It hasn't said anything about refunds yet.

Conrad and Eden cover what we know, how IH Sydney's closure played out in 2024, and why being a big global brand no longer protects a school in a market where student weeks fell 23% last year. The big logo used to be the safe choice. Now the safe choice is knowing where the money sits. Plus, what happens to your commission when a school stops?

Sources:

1. https://thepienews.com/ec-english-halts-new-student-arrivals-worldwide-this-weekend/
2. https://lovinmalta.com/news/local/malta-based-ec-english-halts-student-arrivals-worldwide-as-future-remains-unclear/
3. https://thepienews.com/ih-sydney-closes-as-greenwich-supports-impacted-students/
4. https://thepienews.com/worsening-elt-declines-signal-market-restructuring/
5. https://monitor.icef.com/2026/09/korean-government-introduces-new-quality-controls-for-universities-and-agents/
6. https://qualyhq.com/blog/education-agent-commission-clawbacks/