Private tuition and poor students

Past tuition is well entrenched in most countries including rich countries like Singapore and Finland, which are believed to have the best education systems in the world.

- BYN. A. DES. AMARATUNGA

However, private coaching in these countries are well controlled by the government with regard to fees, curriculum, extra subjects that the schools do not provide, numbers in a class, etc. Moreover, private tuition is restricted to higher grades which prepare students for competitive university entrance exams in subjects like medicine, law, and engineering. Poor students, if they want, could access loan systems to pay for private tuition so that they are not disadvantaged and equity is ensured.

This is probably so because of certain advantages that well-structured private coaching have, such as personalised attention, enhanced opportunity for development of communication skills and also targeted support for weaknesses. These advantages are attainable only when the number of students in a class is small and the system is under control and certainly not in mass classes with hundreds of students and conducted via public address system as often happens in Sri Lanka.

There are also several very significant disadvantages in private tuition which could be worsened when the system is uncontrolled. One of the main ills is the fact that extra hours in a private tuition class cost students time for rest and extracurricular activities needed for social development, leading to stress and mental fatigue. When the syllabus is heavy as in Sri Lanka this problem is worse. Another issue is the cost which can exclude lower-income families and strain budgets, potentially making it a luxury rather than a necessity. Students may become too used to instant answers, failing to develop problem-solving skills and independence needed for university and life. Rote learning is encouraged at the expense of critical thinking. These students may find it difficult to cope with the demands of employment and life in general.