Comments on: NOVA English Teaching Corporation Faces Suspension!

By: “Is Lady Justice Blind? – Japanese Government Playing Favorites” : Japan Probe

“Is Lady Justice Blind? – Japanese Government Playing Favorites” : Japan Probe — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 13:03:11 +0000

[...] school has been well documented. One would think that the actions taken by the Japanese government (placing sanctions on NOVA sales that all but landed the knock out blow) would signal tougher times for all corporations that engage [...]

By: The NOVA Collapse: English Teaching Shakeup « The Postnational Monitor

The NOVA Collapse: English Teaching Shakeup « The Postnational Monitor — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:44:07 +0000

[...] NOVA English Teaching Corporation Faces Suspension! : Japan Probe Explore posts in the same categories: East Asian Politics, Economics, Uncategorized [...]

By: rosa g wong

rosa g wong — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:40:15 +0000

My nephew went to Japan because he thinks it is a great and beautiful country and teaching will give him an inside view of all the marvellous things written and shown in books, movies, and cartoons (his favourites from early childhood).
Will Japan allow Nova to destroy his dreams?
How will Japan react as a host to its guests?
Being a mother myself, my heart goes out to my sister that thinks her son was cheated.

By: STud

STud — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 20:41:28 +0000

you smell me?

By: steve

steve — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 03:13:53 +0000

Dont feel sorry for staff and students !
The best thing that could have happened to Nova staff and teachers. there is life outside a company like Nova and im sure for those teachers who remain in Japan, they will find that there are opportunities for a decent salary, holidays and a good working environment in many other companies. Also students can find, if they are willing professional schools with qualified instructors !! I worked for a similar company who treated their staff like pond life and i have had 2 jobs since that time five years ago and what an eye opener ! the thought that i spent all that time slaving away for incompetent bosses and low pay ! by the way the company i worked for begins with S and ends in e . 5 letters ? big fat bastard boss ? maybe the Japanese government will investigate them too and bring about positive changes for teachers, Japanese staff and students. Lets face it these kind of companies would never have a licence to operate the way they do in a European union country. why do they get away with it in a democratic system like Japan !

By: tiltyhouse » Blog Archive » Dai-Cast 063 - Just the Two of Us

tiltyhouse » Blog Archive » Dai-Cast 063 - Just the Two of Us — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 12:30:18 +0000

[...] English Teaching Company ‘NOVA’ Faces Suspension – japanprobe.com [...]

By: Liberal Japan » Blog Archive » NOVA issue — METI tolerated Nova methods for many years

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 19:52:11 +0000

[...] 2007/06/13 NOVA English Teaching Corporation Faces Suspension!, Japan Probe; Well-updated entry. [...]

By: Neesia Lawrence

Neesia Lawrence — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 12:23:54 +0000

So, for all of those who do still work for the company, how did you feel when your salary wasn’t in your account first thing in the morning on payday last week? I wonder if that has any connection to all of the recent news…

By: Matt Dioguardi

Matt Dioguardi — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 00:03:28 +0000

There’s some new info on this. As I read it, the government is cutting off some kind of student assistance program. Not sure if I am reading that right or not. I’ve posted the info at my blog.

It was on the front page of the Asahi this morning.

By: Day 4A « My life at Cinergycom

Day 4A « My life at Cinergycom — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 23:15:36 +0000

[...] Yesterday I found out that Nova is screwed. Actually I found out just before I went to bed Wednesday night. Ruined my day. [...]

By: Turner

Turner — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 14:34:22 +0000

I’d be more worried about the arrangements NOVA has with the different apartments and rental houses they use to house teachers – who knows if these properties will expect the company or the individual to finish out the lease, regarding of whether the company may be standing or not.

By: oldSushi Blurb » Nova Suspended for 3 months!

oldSushi Blurb » Nova Suspended for 3 months! — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 00:23:19 +0000

Nova Suspended for 3 months!…

[source: japanprobe]

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is set to order Nova Corp., Japan’s largest English-language school operator, to suspend part of its business for six months……

By: komuso

komuso — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:53:49 +0000

Everyone at the bottom of the chain, and the students, will get the rough end of the stick. Ive always felt sorry for the staff…. long hours, low pay, pushed to do hard sells for very little incentive. Ive got no sympathy for many of the teachers, or instructors rather. Most of them are in Japan itinerantly anyway, so they can go on to whatever the next job is, wherever it might be. The few who actually love teaching, well, hopefully they wont have too difficult a time finding new jobs.

By: Fin Squandrago

Fin Squandrago — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 12:59:37 +0000

More than anything else, I feel sorry for the sales staff. Working primarily on commission, they’re the ones who are going to be the most immediately hosed by the freeze on long-term contracts. First the company had the gall to apologize to students for the possibly-inadequate work that their sales people might have done earlier this year, and now they might be looking at living on peanuts for six months? Most of the sales folks I worked with in my time at Nova were fantastic people, and I hope the ones who still work there have something (better) to fall back on.

By: LogicDefied

LogicDefied — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 05:56:13 +0000

Now would be a good time for NOVA employees to update their resume.

By: Ross

Ross — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 20:46:06 +0000

Good riddance, I say!

By: Ippoippo » Boobs, Learning and Pointless Titles

Ippoippo » Boobs, Learning and Pointless Titles — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 16:22:00 +0000

[...] It looks like NOVA has got itself into more trouble… which could end up meaning there’s going to be lots of unemployed English teachers in Japan. (Mind you, from what I’ve heard, a large proportion of them aren’t there because they have a genuine interest in teaching English). [...]

By: Karisu

Karisu — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:54:45 +0000

I totally want a job there! Then again, I’d take any job I could get teaching English in Japan…

By: Jamie

Jamie — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 08:41:26 +0000

I don’t think that the suspended sales rights will directly kill Nova, but I do think that the loss in sales will. No one wants to give money to a company who has been proven by the government to have cheated its customers wholesale for years.

And I think this might actually be a good thing. A lot of people would lose jobs, yes, but it might clean up the English teaching world a bit. If only Nova, Geos, Interac, Aeon, and the others had been forced to follow some soft of educational standard this wouldn’t have happened.

By: Shari

Shari — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 08:32:11 +0000

I’d be surprised if Nova were actually forced to do anything which put them out of business. It’s not the Japanese way to do something wholesale that puts a large company out of commission. My guess is that something will be negotiated to allow them to keep going and that a significant “slap on the wrist” will be the ultimate outcome and Nova may have to clean up its act quite a bit in terms of the way in which they attempt to sucker students into buying a huge wad of lesson tickets upfront.

I could be wrong, of course. Much as I dislike Nova, I wouldn’t be pleased to see them closed down entirely as it’d be disastrous for a lot of employees, particularly the Japanese ones who have built careers in the company.

By: Jamie

Jamie — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 07:21:47 +0000

You know, I hate the big three. But at the same time, it’s a pity that so many employees are going to lose their jobs, and so many students are going to lose a lot of money.

Of course, that means my non-profit school will get more students, which means I’ll get more hours.

I’m torn. Sorry Nova teachers.

By: Matt Dioguardi

Matt Dioguardi — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 06:15:55 +0000

The Yomiuri has reported that the part of the business being suspended is Nova’s ability to make long term contracts. And I believe all or part of their ability to solicit for new customers. That would be for six months.

I have posted the link to the Yomiuri at my blog. I am afraid to post it here because messages with links often get sucked into the spam filter.

I would also recommend looking for a new job, however, I would not follow Ken’s advice and not show up for work tomorrow. Although Nova going belly up almost immediately is possible, so are many other different things. For example, Nova might be able to sell it’s business … or they might muddle through somehow.

So yes, look for anew job, but keep working till you find it.