Job Discussion Forums

[runeman]

I was rather shocked today to learn that English Time, Interlang and Gokdil are all run by the same company.

[molly farquharson]

iste... where have you been all this time?

[runeman]

I thought they were all rival companies - but they are one - with different names.

Does this not mean that teachers and students who hate the new course book at English Time can move instead to Gokdil or Interlang if they wish? After all, it would be no loss to the coffers of TEG "Time Education Group", Istanbul's biggest private teaching institution, which owns them all.

Who is behind the Time Education Group?

[tararu]

There is no conspiracy behind who owns Time Group. They are just a couple of guys who have worked very hard over the last 20 odd years.

[runeman]

Gilbert and George?

[scot47]

The cartelisation of business and the preponderance of monopolistic developments in late capitalism. It is all in Charlie Marx.

[molly farquharson]

no students can't just move over to the other schools, and no they are not all the same. and why is it a bad thing that someone owns three language schools? i think it is a good example of a success story, especially since the owners are Turkish Kurds. Or is it Kurdish Turks? They had the drive and ambition to build schools, and we all know that education is essential in improving a society. Sure the salaries could be better, but I think that the schools are important for offering opportunities for both the students and the staff. I have no problem with the owners or their growing business. I respect them as people; otherwise, i would not work for one of their schools. they are also good examples of teachers who got rich, a rarety in this profession.

I hear so much kaka about ET by people who do not have a history with it or with the larger organization. There are a lot of different personalities there, and we all know that the TEFL teacher trade is rather fluid. However, we also have teachers who have worked with us for years. those who diss the language schools forget that they are also dissing the teachers who choose to work in them. in fact, this was a comment from one of our teachers who does not post here. every teaching setting has plusses and minuses and the individual's choice should be respected. language schools are not for everyone. neither are primary schools or university programs.

anyway.

[runeman]

molly farqueson said:

[dmb]

Ok Thrifty, own up. How much have you paid Runeman to do your dirty work. Just out of interest Runeman, why do you have a problem with ET? Have you had a run in with them in the past? Did Molly refuse to show one of your exhibitions? Now... where did I leave my big spoon?

[runeman]

dmb wrote:

[lovelace]

I would like to know who owns English Time, out of curiosity. It would be interesting to know who owns the biggest chain of language schools in Istanbul. I know the names of the owners of some of the smaller ones.

Feel like I'm tiptoeing through a minefield here, there seems to be an undercurrent but I'm in the dark about why. Could someone just tell me the owners please?

[molly farquharson]

the partner who is in charge of the language schools and kids' schools is Fetihi Simsek.

We don't put up posters for any nonschool things. And I did go to the play, btw.

of course you wouldn't like the books. you were predisposed not to. you started the thread on the books saying you had not seen them but heard they were crap. in fact, a lot of the older teachers say they are better than the last ones, with room for improvement. we address the skills the students need and as we tinker with them they will get better and better (be clear that pronoun reference is to the books)

what do you want to know about the owners, runeman?

[runeman]

molly farquharson asked:

[molly farquharson]

maybe you should try a google in turkish

again, you don't really want to know because you have already formed your opinion. fetih bey in your eyes is already a ruthless capitalist pig and since he is turkish he is probably islamic. in fact, he is a modest, mild-mannered man, a serious muslim with a modern approach, probably quite pleased that his business ventures in education have worked out well for him. contrary to some of the opinions here, the school is not islamic and has no connection with fethullah gulen. but when it comes down to it you believe what you want to believe because what would i know since i work for the school.

[Golightly]

So, we've lost Tekel as a distillery of strange alcoholic substances, but we still have Tekel schools.