One of Christchurch’s biggest private providers of English language classes has moved from its Riccarton home of the last seven years to premises in Addington.

PEETO multicultural learning centre was established by Co-Directors Patrick O'Connor and Saena Herman Ah Kuoi 28 years ago, in 1991, operating in premises in Westpac Lane in the central city.

A registered and accredited private training establishment, PEETO is a multicultural learning centre providing ESOL training services to learners from more than 60 nationalities since 1991. Their aim was to respond to the English language, vocational and further study aspirations of international students, migrants, Pasifika people and refugees.

Later they expanded to premises on the corner of Madras and Peterborough Streets, but lost their home to the Christchurch earthquakes. Around that time, Herman Ah Kuoi resigned, and Patrick O’Connor continued on as sole Director. 

To help the service keep going, Riccarton Baptist Church offered the use of its buildings in Rattray Street, where PEETO has operated for the last seven years.

However, the business has now been bought by HJ Education Group, the parent company for another major institute, Wilkinson’s Language School, which is in turn part of the Cornell Education Group. The group also has campuses in Auckland and Tauranga. The two schools will operate side-by-side in the same building at 20 Twigger St, Addington, near the Horncastle Arena.

The new director of PEETO is Auckland-based Andrew Do, the owner of Cornell. Mr O’Connor will continue on with PEETO as Education and Training Director.

PEETO currently runs 15 classes a week, with 15 teachers and up to 10 conversation assistants looking after 135 students.