SAN ANTONIO — Concerned students are on a ‘quest’ for answers.
Three women enrolled at Quest College claim chaos is unfolding behind campus walls. Fearing backlash, they didn’t want to be publicly identified, but said they are worried the school is ‘quietly closing.’
“About two weeks ago, we started noticing some differences,” one student said.
According to the students, their instructor was laid off this week. She is one of several staff members no longer employed by Quest College.
“She received an email in class,” said a student. “It thanked her for being a teacher and said that they needed to move on. That was basically it, and nobody knew it was coming. It left us with no teacher that day. The next day, we were put in another classroom.”
The class was absorbed by another teacher, doubling its size.
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KENS 5 spoke with a former staff member who said six instructors, two directors and five administrative employees were laid off or quit within the last couple of weeks.
“We also got word that [the college] let the nightside students go in a conference call,” a student said.
Recent statistics show a few hundred students are enrolled at Quest College. About 90% of the students are women who are trying to get their GEDs or are working to become business and medical assistants.
All three students interviewed by KENS 5 are mothers hoping to land higher paying jobs.
Students claim they are left in the dark.
“It would be like walking into Walmart on Black Friday is what it looks like,” said a student. “There are students scrambling, asking questions. There are teachers crying.”
Quest College confirmed there have been layoffs.
According to a board member, the school was recently bought by a foreign-owned company. However, the name of the company has not been released.
A spokesperson claims the U.S. Department of Education is no longer providing financial aid to students.
“We cannot afford to teach students for free,” said the board member. “We have to pay the operating cost, the employee salaries. We took over the account receivable and also the debt. As far as I know, [Quest College] will break even. Now we have to focus on a cash program. We will help the current Title IV students [transfer] to other institutions.”
“Is our funding not going through anymore?" asked a student. "Is the school closing? If it's not closing, why are teachers and students being let go?”
When asked if Quest College is closing, the board member did not respond.
Wednesday night, students were notified the campus will be closed until further notice and classes will move online.
“We deserve to know what’s happening,” said a student. “I was supposed to get my certification in May.”
This is a developing story.