Students want 'teach out' at Kitchener's Everest College

Students and teachers at Everest College in downtown Kitchener are asking the Ontario government to help them finish their courses after an independent regulator shut down the school last week.

On Tuesday, a group of about 30 students and teachers stood in front of the college on the corner of Gaukel Streetand Charles StreetWest, holding signs and chanting "save our school."

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They are asking the provincial government for what they call a "teach out."

This would involve the Ministry of Educationlifting the suspension on the college's operating license and allowing classes to continue until all registered students have completed their programs.

"These kids are passionate about what they do," said BrianDoherty, who taught Law Enforcement Foundations at Everest and attended Tuesday's rally to support his students.

Do I start looking for work, even though I know I don't have a diploma?- Amber-Leigh Bridges, Everest student

"They all have dreams and right nowthose dreams are shattered. All we want isto get back inside that building and complete what we started."

All classes at 14 Ontario branches of Everest College were cancelled on Feb. 19 after the superintendent of private career colleges, the independent regulator governingschools like Everest, suspended the chain's licence to operate in the province.

In a statement, the ministry said the superintendent can "propose to revoke a private career college's registration if [it]is no longer satisfied that it can be expected to be financially responsible in its operation as a private career college, considering its current financial position."

No other reason for the shutdown was given.

The U.S. parent company of Everest College, Corinthian Colleges, said last week that Everestfiled for Canadian bankruptcy protection. The companyaddedthe filing for bankruptcyprotection in Canada will have no effect on itsU.S. operations.

The Ministry of Education would not comment on the students' request for a teach out, saying that "the Superintendent was of the opinion that the immediate suspension of Everest College's registration, on February 19, 2015, was necessary to protect current and prospective students."

Students still stunnedby shutdown

News of the shutdown came as a shock to students, many of whom were weeks away from completing their programs.

"My goal was to get on the school board," said Amber-Leigh Bridges, who was supposed to graduate on Mar. 13 from the school's Executive Office Assistant Program. "Now, I feel like that was just ripped right from underneath me."

With two small children at home and no income, Bridges said she was trying to remain positive, but ultimately felt lost.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with myself. Do I start looking for work, even though I know I don't have a diploma? I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know if Everest is ever going to open again."

Switching institutions not as easy as it sounds

Bridges and her peers are looking to the Ontario government to help them out of their predicament, but the Ministry of Education has yet to offer up a solution.

So, literally, we have to sit and wait.- Cheryl Hopp, Everest student

A provincial fund, known as the Training Completion Assurance Fund, helps provide eligible students with full or partial refunds when events of this nature take place, but the fund is capped at $3 million.

"You have to ask yourself whether that's a realistic figure to actually help everyone of these students to fulfill their diplomas," said Cheryl Hopp, an Everest student studying to become a medical office administrator.

Money isn't Hopp'sonly concern. She saysshe would have to pass entrance exams and may have to repeat courses if she wantsto finish her program at another institution.

"In the meantime, I have no income and no diploma. So, literally, we have to sit and wait."

At the time of the closings, the Everest Canadian campuses had approximately 2,450 students and 450 employees.