There is still some painting to do and carpet to install, but a private educational institution is hoping to be ready to welcome students for the first day of school.
A & L Royal Academy is a private language school that caters to international students and is focused on English as a second language (ESL). The private institution is located at 52 High Street West in the former RBC branch.
When the Moose Jaw Express visited on Aug. 22, contractors were still painting. Green masking tape and plastic sheets covered walls, windows and door frames, while several rooms had boxes of ceiling tiles waiting to be installed.
The goal is to be open by Sept. 3.
“The English-as-a-second language business worldwide is absolutely huge,” explained school principal Jeff Mathieson.
There are many schools in foreign countries, but within the past 15 years, students have wanted to study abroad, he continued. So private language schools have opened in many Western countries, but no such institution has opened in Saskatchewan.
Places such as the Newcomer Welcome Centre or Saskatchewan Polytechnic work with immigrants and refugees and teach them English. However, the government provides indirect funding to support those groups, Mathieson pointed out. A & L Royal Academy is not in competition with either organization and is completely sponsored and funded through tuition.
“The students coming here are recruited by our recruiters,” he said. “We are bringing in our own students. It adds another economic benefit to Moose Jaw and Saskatchewan … . Some of our grads may stay in Canada to advance their education. It’s a win-win for everybody.”
If students study full-time in Moose Jaw for a year, they could each pump up to $30,000 into the economy through areas such as housing, food, transportation and entertainment.
Toronto businessman Wing Lam owns the academy, explained Mathieson. Lam moved to Canada from China 30 years ago for school and struggled because there were then no language schools. He was put in a class and expected to survive; he did and went on to start an immigrant-focused company.
Lam entered the education field because he wanted to offer students something better than his own experiences, while he wanted to help immigrants with their concerns. He has placed international students in schools across Canada for the last few years, including at Sask. Polytechnic.
“Saskatchewan is a great place for investment … ,” Mathieson said. “So he chose Moose Jaw. He’s been here a few times. He fell in love with the city.”
Mathieson has more than 30 years of experience in education, including 10 years of experience teaching overseas. As a teacher, he enjoys seeing the progress students make, while he also likes learning about other cultures.
“This (position) was right up my alley,” he chuckled.
The academy will offer four three-month semesters in a year; there are no summers off. Fifteen students will be recruited for each semester, with 64 students expected to attend after one year. The goal is to have 175 students attend the academy and live in Moose Jaw after two years.
The first 12 to 18 months will be all Chinese students, but the goal is to have 50 per cent of all students attending from other countries.
“I look forward to the growth of the school,” Mathieson said. “We will start small, but to reach 175 students, that would be a great accomplishment. I look forward to it becoming a fixture in Moose Jaw.”
A & L Royal Academy is still looking for homestay families to host students. This would give students extra practice with speaking English. The academy is also looking for books for the library and possibly a ping-pong table. Anyone interested in supporting the school can call Jeff Mathieson at 306-807-8406 or email principal@alroyalacademy.com.
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