LCentral Reviews

The Centre Manager (CM) at my particular centre was the most incompetent, unprofessional and toxic manager I had ever worked with. She had absolutely no managing skills nor pedagogical background. Weekly meetings were almost non-existent, but when they did happen, issues and suggestions brought up were never listened to. Nothing ever got done nor was followed through. Communication between CM and teachers was non-existent. CM doesn’t seem to understand the importance of clear communication. CM lies through her teeth. Confidentiality is non-existent. CM discusses any problems she has with certain teachers to other teachers in their termly reviews. However, she never discusses directly with the teacher concerned. She literally goes into hiding. The worst by far was what prompted me to write this review, and that was the lack of communication, dishonesty and the way I was devalued and discarded towards the end of my contract. I have been very patient and very polite during my time working here. In almost every term review, the CM expressed how much she would like me to renew my contract. She also praised me numerous times for my teaching and organisation. However, in my last term, strangely we didn't have a term review for I wanted to discuss my contract. She never approached me to discuss my contract either so I eventually approached her for a discussion. She said it was "unlikely" that I would be able to renew my contract as she had tried the Employment Pass (EP) Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) online and that the renewal of my EP would be rejected. None of this was ever communicated to me. Had I not aporoached her, would she have ever approached me to discuss? Subsequently, I tried the SAT myself and it approved - even for lower salaries. Again, I confronted the CM and she played ignorant, saying that all my credentials were already in the system. This was another lie as everything needed to be input manually (which she had even complained about prior). Furthermore, my EP was going to expire two weeks before the end of my contract. The CM kept coming up with excuses of the difficulty of renewing my EP to complete my contract, until I mentioned that it would be a breach of my contract on their part, then suddenly she applied for a renewal and it was approved shortly afterwards. Five days after my discussion with the Centre Manager, I went down to Head Office to talk with HR about my contract as I had doubts. Shockingly, HR said that the CM had told him two months prior that I had told her that I did not want to renew my contract. This never happened. When I confronted the CM about my meeting with HR, she denied everything. If I was not needed anymore, CM should've been up front and honest, rather than lie. Every month, $350 is withheld from your pay which is then reimbursed at the end of your contract. In your contract, it is called a "Withholding Reimbursement", but verbally management calls it a bonus (which it is not). Before the end of my contract, the CM told me that she was only going to return me 23 months of my withholding, even though I had worked a total of 24 months and 4 days. The 4 days were pro-rated. Her explanation was that she should've taken $350 from those 4 days but she didn't, so she was going to take the $350... but not give it back. It was only after I messaged HR that she said that she would return me my full 24 months' withholding. This is not a mistake as a teacher has left every September and she has had to do the same thing each year. This CM is a liar and a thief. On my final pay day, I didn't receive my pay cheque nor my withholding reimbursement. I was told at that moment that my pay cheque and withholding reimbursement would be withheld from me until after tax clearance. I understand this, however, none of this was ever communicated to me. Conveniently, the CM was hiding again so I sent her a text about her not communicating it to me. She said she had told me when I first started the job, which is not true at all. She also knew very well that I was applying for PR and that the cancelling of my EP would also cancel my PR application. This devalue and discard treatment is very cruel and heartless. I expressed my concerns to both HR and the CEO but nothing was taken seriously.

Where to start. HQ are a shitshow and have zero respect for their staff. You can be teaching 5 classes plus parent teacher meets and assessments on a Saturday and Sunday with a 30 minute break. Cannot take leave termtime, only in term breaks when they push you to work. Overworked and not appreciated. If you take MC, there is no cover, you might have to work in term breaks to make up for missed classes. If you raise these concerns to HQ, you get an aggressive response and made to feel awful in front of everyone. They are always trying to think of 'new' ways to train the teachers but it patronising and so out of date. Zero career opportunities. You are just there to do your job and they don't see what you are actually capable of. There have been times when I have not been paid when I was on hospital leave, this is against the law. I have been asked to carry my leave forward to the next year, when I said no, they said I had to, also against the law. They decide on how things will go with zero consideration for their teachers, fellow human beings. I was there too long, it was not this bad at the beginning when we had difference management. It is purely down to your franchise owner, ours was HQ at the end. I was very stressed and suffered from anxiety due to Lcentral. I feel like I have escaped a cult. Best thing I did was leave there.