English course

From Kompas

In May, we scanned the ads in the paper for a suitable English course. After several inquiries, we chose the American Language Council (ALC). Roni Harlan of the institute presented us with the bill on the same day. We settled half the amount -- Rp 350,000 -- by check, leaving a balance of Rp 300,000.

Roni Harlan came back in the afternoon, saying that the teacher, a native speaker, preferred to be paid in cash. We were made to settle the full amount before the course started. We duly paid in hard cash (receipt attached).

After that, Roni Harlan sent us a teacher, who turned out not to be a native speaker (the names of the native speaking teachers Mr. Paul/Mr. Yansen proved to be invented names). Nonetheless, we went along with all that.

After the first lesson, however, our teacher informed us that he had not been paid one cent yet by Roni Harlan. What was even more disconcerting was the discovery that our teacher was not on the teaching staff of ALC. Roni Harlan approached our teacher for reasons of wanting to take up an English course himself.

We then realized that we had been conned. We contacted Roni Harlan again at the number 5604371 but were told that it was a boarding place and that the culprit had moved out (the person who answered our call was a Mr. Alvin, the owner of the place).

We would like to warn anyone who is looking for an English teacher to be careful before making a choice of the many English courses advertised in the paper.

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