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by Kushani Ratnayake

Exams are often hard and it is very difficult to get through them exceptionally well. Children take great pains to pass with flying colours and try every possible way to be the best. Is it the competition, the never ending rat race for good results that makes students depend on tuition classes? Most people believe that the measurement of intelligence is getting good results at an exam or the ability to get into a good university.

The struggle for “good results”

Children drive themselves to gain extraordinary knowledge from tuition classes because of this self-imposed pressure.

The dedication and the aptitude shown in one's year five scholarship exam, Ordinary and Advanced Level exam results are taken as a fair measure of one's intelligence but there are other abilities that need to be developed at an early age.

In this day and age great test results alone will get you nowhere. One should be able to identify the talents and should have the capability to improve them. Today children trust tuition masters more than their own school teachers. Not only students from Advanced Level classes but also children as young as six years depend on tuition classes.

Tuition classes have now become a money making business. Is there any guarantee that these tuition classes are effective? Most children go for tuition classes to get additional support for their daily school work.

With time, they become more and more addicted to classes. According to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, tuition has come up with the competition. There is nothing wrong with school syllabuses of the system of education. "Children want to get good results therefore they want to gain extra knowledge from tuition classes.

It has also become a fashion. More than 80,000 students come for tuition in Nugegoda. This is mainly because of the competition, but there is a certain standard for education", he said.

"Tuition classes do not teach students good discipline. They only care about the money and popularity. Tuition masters or teachers do not have the time to teach good qualities. Some children have the capability of picking up every important method or know the way of learning whereas others do not even know why they are going for tuition classes. This is a dangerous situation. Children get corrupted", he said.

"It depends on the standard of the school and the ability of the teachers. Today there are tuition classes almost everywhere. It has become a business where children get trapped. It is sad that tuition classes do not teach students the required discipline".

Children presume that by attending a tuition class they can get excellent results. On the other hand, most students take the wrong path. Especially in mixed classes, children have the freedom to move the way they want.

There are nearly 4.2 million students in Sri Lanka, we have 9,876 schools, out of which 326 are National Schools. 2 million students sit for the Advanced Level exam and only 90,000 get an opportunity to further their education. Out of this only 12,500 will be accepted into the universities.

"Students need to have sound practical knowledge. By spoon feeding them you can not build a good personality. Schools teach children discipline and build their characters. I think that is the most important thing. Intelligence is something you learn by experience or by your practical knowledge. Tuition classes cannot give this intelligence or the practical mind", the official said.

According to the Director of National Schools, P.H.D Geeganage, the non-formal education system should be developed. "There should be a proper system, more than anything else parents should be more inquisitive about their children and should not pressurise their children when it comes to education", he said.

"Tuition classes are not needed, but with this competition children want to get through their exams somehow. The final mark you get for the exam has become the most important thing today, the competition is high and everybody wants to be the best", he said.

"The childhood years are meant to be a time of fun and frolic. Tuition has its pros and cons. It can be a great help for students who are part of large classrooms, where a teacher has her hands full. It is good to have a back up like tuition so that any doubts not cleared up during school hours, could be understood better from a tuition teacher.

I believe that tuition has mostly cons because competition drives children to take these classes. They have forgotten how to relax and enjoy their childhood before adulthood takes over. We need to be able to watch television and go out with friends and not be forced to constantly study!", said a student from a leading school in Colombo.

Today, tuition classes outnumber children. It would seem that children are unable to get good results without attending tuition classes. Education is something that can be gained through experience, and should be more practical. Children should not be glued to their books. They should have a practical knowledge to live effectively in society.

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