Shane English School

Shane English School
Native name
シェーン英会話
Shēn Eikaiwa
IndustryEnglish schools
Founded1977; 48 years ago (1977) in Chiba Prefecture, Japan
Headquarters
Tokyo
,
Japan
Area served
Japan
ServicesEnglish conversation instruction
OwnerZE Holdings Company[1]
Number of employees
1,106 (2016[1])
Websitewww.shane.co.jp

Shane English School (シェーン英会話, Shēn Eikaiwa) is a chain of English conversation schools in Japan and other countries.[2] It was founded by Shane Lipscombe[3] in Chiba Prefecture in 1977.[4] Formerly part of the Saxoncourt Group, it is now owned by the cram school operator Eikoh. As of March 2017, it has 206 branches located all over Japan, and is also present in Taiwan, mainland China, and Vietnam.[5] As of November 2013, it had about 20,000 students throughout Japan.[1][6]

History

In 2001, after an education ministry panel recommended English education at elementary schools, the company offered courses for Japanese elementary school teachers to prepare them for teaching English to their students.[7]

In 2010, the company was purchased by the cram school operator Eikoh [ja] because they wanted to move into the teaching of 5th- and 6th-grade students due to the new compulsory English teaching at that age level.[8] At that time, it operated 199 schools in the Kantō region — of which 46 were franchised—and had four subsidiaries: Shane Corporation Japan, Shane Corporation Kita Kanto, Shane Corporation Higashi Kanto, and Shane Corporation Minami Kanto.[8]

Controversies

In March 2017, two teachers filed a suit against the company, claiming wrongful dismissal.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c "会社概要" [Company Overview] (in Japanese). Shane English School. Archived from the original on March 20, 2017. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
  2. ^ "English Schools & Franchising". Saxoncourt Group. 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  3. ^ Message from founder. Saxoncourt. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved on March 21, 2017
  4. ^ "Shēn Eikaiwa to wa" シェーン英会話とは (About Shane English School) (in Japanese). Shane English School. Retrieved on November 15, 2013
  5. ^ "Chiaku Sukūru wo Sagasu" 近くスクールを探す (Find a school near you) (in Japanese). Shane English School. Retrieved on March 21, 2017
  6. ^ Budmar, Patrick (November 3, 2013). "Six years following bankruptcy, Nova boosts the brand". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on July 13, 2016. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  7. ^ Hani, Yoko (May 30, 2001). "Elementary school teachers to run English gantlet". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on June 11, 2015. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  8. ^ a b Martin, Alex (November 20, 2010). "Cram school buys out Shane English School". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on March 13, 2017. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
  9. ^ Kikuchi, Daisuke (March 9, 2017). "Teachers claim dismissals were invalid in suit against Shane English School". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on March 21, 2017. Retrieved March 21, 2017.

35°38′57″N 139°54′53″E / 35.64904°N 139.91477°E / 35.64904; 139.91477