School that helped people in Hamilton learn English for 28 years closes its doors

When Gus Andrikopoulos started teaching English at a small school in downtown Hamilton, it was to earn a steady paycheque. But he soon fell in love with the job.

"As corny as it sounds, seeing [my students] progress and learn the language" was what sealed the deal, he said. "Gratifying isn't a strong enough word."

Andrikopoulos has worked at Metropolitan College on 146 James St. S. for over 15 years.

On April 25, the school closed its doors for good, largely due to the cap the federal government imposed on the number of international students last year, he said.

"To say I'm devastated would be an understatement. For nearly two decades, Metropolitan College has been my second family and my home," he wrote on Facebook, announcing the closure. 

Founded in 1997, the school has taken pride in its small class sizes, lighthearted and enthusiastic teachers and lessons that included music and field trips.  

During his last day of teaching on April 23, Andrikopoulos was his usual lively self, cracking jokes and trying to "be in the moment."

He doesn't remember the lesson material that day, he said, "but very happily, I will always remember how much fun we were having."

'No drain on the system'

Student numbers began dropping at Metropolitan College in early 2024, Andrikopoulos said, and there was a big dip in August. By December, he said some days he was sitting in an empty classroom.

The federal government first announced in January 2024 it was capping the number of permits for international students, stating its goal was to target institutional "bad actors" — and amid concern about the impact international students were having on the housing market.

Andrikopoulos blames government policy for the school's lack of students, but said he doesn't hold any bitterness.

"I really wish they had done something a little bit more surgical," he said. "Everybody that came to our school was self-supported … there was no drain on the system."

Andrikopoulos had gotten more than a hundred messages from past students since the closure was announced, thanking him for all the lessons.

"[My students] expanded my world in ways I couldn't ever have dreamed of," he told CBC Hamilton.

From animator to educator

Born in Hamilton to Greek immigrants, Andrikopoulos studied in Greece for a while, which he says gave him important insight into learning a new language.

He was an animator and a small-business owner in the 2000s, renting a room out of the school's building, when his friend, the previous owner of the school, asked him if he wanted to try teaching.

It was a nerve-racking thing at first, he said. "I would teach my lesson … [then] I would find a nice quiet place and have a mini panic attack and then get out there and keep going."

He was eventually offered a full-time position and didn't look back.

Student says school was 'really lovely and human' 

At Metropolitan College, Andrikopoulos taught people from all ages and walks of life, he said, from 13-year-olds to retirees, university deans, rocket scientists, hairdressers, mechanics, and more.

The majority of students were on visitor visas, while about 40 per cent were here on study permits, he said. Most just came to Canada temporarily to learn the language.

Kamila Balcova is a student from Slovakia. She said the school's intimate and friendly approach helped her improve her speaking skills.

"It's a pity [the school is closing] because it made a difference in my life already. I think my English got better," she said.

Metropolitan College's two full-time teachers often took students on outings paired with vocabulary lessons, a different way to engage students.

Balcova said every class was interesting and filled with laughter and friendliness. "When you come as an international student or when you're new to the country, it's not easy. You have to cope with many things. You may be homesick," she said.

"Here, you forgot about all the things that may be a little bit sad to you in your personal life."

Losing the school is like 'losing family'

Jihun "June" Chun, called the school a kind and warm place.

"Some colleges think that students are money, but I can't feel that here. It's really lovely and human," he said.

Chun said he worries about cuts at other Ontario colleges and the impact in his plans to build a new life in Canada.

He came to country in hopes of staying and living a "slower life," because of the stressful work environments in his home country, South Korea, but he's worried he won't be able to.

Hao Jing, another student, said she wants to get a master's degree in Canada before returning to her home in China. She arrived in Hamilton in 2023 to accompany her son.

She was accepted to Western University for their graduate program Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, a career she's passionate about. That dream is threatened now by new visa limits.

Losing the school is like "losing family," for Hao, who saw it as an outlet to meet new people and spend her time during the day.

Teachers went above and beyond, she said, organizing barbecues and costume parties for everyone to share their culture.

"We just pay the tuition fee, and it's not their duty to [help us learn] about the culture here," she said. "[The teachers] provide us more than the standard level."

Andrikopoulos said his time spent with the school was life-changing. "I was learning about all these cultures … I've got friends all over the planet."

His biggest lesson? "We have far, far more similarities than differences," he said.

He hopes the school will come back in some way in the future, but without him at the front of the class. "I'm done," he said. "But I will help the school to be Metropolitan College again."