Tuition:

Help or Bane?

Although there could be diverging views regarding the merits and demerits of tuition, one thing on which there could hardly be any debate is that private tuition is a most widespread and flourishing industry in Sri Lanka today.

To realise the truth of this statement, one needs only witness the large number of youngsters who flock to the cities everyday in search of ‘tuition masters’ whose colourful posters cover the walls and lamp posts in the city.

Often, private tuition means exam-oriented classes where the teacher dictates notes over loudspeakers to hundreds, sometimes nearly a thousand, students crammed inside a space inadequate to house such a large crowd.

Most of these ‘classes’ lack proper ventilation and other facilities required by an institution providing education, despite the substantial profits they yield to the ‘tuition master’ and the owner of the property.

However, these evils of private tuition are avoided in what are called ‘group classes’ or ‘individual classes’. In the above instances, the tutor often comes to the student’s residence and (in the case of ‘group classes’) the number of students is limited. Yet, not many students can afford these types of private tuition which tax parents with high fees, often charged on an hourly basis.

But why is private tuition in such high demand despite all its drawbacks ? The answer to this could be a fusion of many causes. While the highly competitive nature of our education system has much to do with it, there are many who allege that the drop in the quality of our school education has also contributed to the rise of the tuition industry.

It is also claimed that school teachers abuse their leave facilities and engage in private tuition during school hours.

On the other hand, statements by students who excelled at the O/L and A/L examinations that tuition helped their achievements prevents anyone from disputing the fact that most tuition classes have succeeded in catering to the demands of the present education system. Is private tuition truly helpful for the education of our younger generation?

If so, should there be legislation regulating and prescribing minimum standards for the tuition industry ? The Government has directed that tuition classes should not be held on Sundays. Is it a good move or should parents be at liberty to decide whether their children should attend religious schools or tuition classes?

Send in your views (in 750-1,000 words) to ‘Daily News Debate’, Daily News, Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited, PO Box 1217, Colombo, or via e-mail to [email protected]  before July 20, 2007.

Private tuition:

Helps enhance knowledge to face competition

M. Azhar Dawood

EXAMINATION: The government sets aside a substantial allocation for education in its annual budget to educate over three and a half million student population. Giving a good education to their children is every parent’s dream.

Examinations have become highly competitive not only for secondary students but also for primary students. There is stiff competition for Grade Five scholarships, GCE (OL) and GCE (AL) examinations every year.

Pupils who score high marks and earn good grades are the ultimate winners. Earnest preparations are made by the parents to facilitate their children to face the aforementioned examinations.

The vast majority of parents and equally good number of children feel that the knowledge imparted in various subjects in schools is woefully inadequate. This being the unfortunate case, they seek private tuitions to aim their children with enhanced knowledge to come off with flying colours in the examinations.

Times have changed, so is the dedication and discipline in the teaching profession. There are, of course, teachers committed and dedicated to their vocation, but the majority just fall by the wayside due to various reasons. Private tuition has become a necessary evil.

The reasons why tuition classes play a dominant role in our educational horizon are: (1) They find children weak or not good enough in some or many subjects, (2) If good in these subjects, they want them to get good grades.

As such private tutoring has became the harbinger and a boon to the children to face examinations confidently. Never mind the stress and strain, attending classes after school is a must and daily routine. Some revel on stress, for their ultimate goal is to be on the top. Every day you could see boys and girls attending classes in so many tutories.

There are instances where pupils go to one tutory for some subjects and attend another institute for another particular subject. The demand for such classes is so high that private tutories have mushroomed in every nook and corner of the country. Hence it should be noted there are tutories of dubious distinction for they do not do justice to the pupils. When the numbers dwindle, these ‘tuition shops’ ultimately close shop.

In the cities, in the suburban towns, in the villages, one could see private classes being conducted. Children have become addicted to tuition because parents expect much from them. They want their offspring to reach great heights, as academics or professionals.

Whether they attend big or small schools, parents send them to extra classes. The popularity of the classes is such that the learners have confidence in their tutors. They pay monthly fees at these places.

There are another category of tutors who visit private residences, once, twice or even thrice a week. This is repeated in several other houses as well, four weeks of the month.

They, of course, charge by the hour, depending on the subject and types of examination - local, London, Edexel, Cambridge. For their trouble, they collect a handsome amount at the month end. You know quality teaching brings in substantial rewards, both to the learner and the mentor.

I have had good contact and fine rapport with many youngsters - the children who attend popular and well-known schools. When questioned, they come out with good stories.

One would say, teacher came to the class, did not teach, asked to read the lesson. Another says, teacher came late, taught for fifteen minutes, asked to do the exercises. The third says, teacher came late, skipped two lessons, asked a boy to read the lesson. Yet another would say, teacher came to school, but did not come to the class.

What are the contributing factors for the popularity of private tuition? (1) Chronic absenteeism of teachers. (According to reports, 40,000 teachers are getting absent daily), (2) They do not cover the syllabus adequately, (3) Classes are overcrowded, depriving the teacher to give individual attention.

Why are private classes and private tutors popular among the pupils? (1) The unit is explained well and in detail, (2) Tutorials are given based on the lesson, (3) Teaching is exam-oriented where past questions are discussed, probable questions given for the answers to be written, (4) The places where learners become confident. The secret of success of these private tutories is tailor-made teaching, catering to the needs of the learners.

Do you know children take tuition in almost all the subjects, even their mother-tongue while attending leading schools? I know many children receive private tuition at home and also go for classes for other subjects.

Our children have no respite since education is exam oriented and not job-oriented. Under the present context, there is a lucrative market for private tuition. On highways and byways, one could see banners, posters, placards written in multi-coloured letters and pamphlets distributed to attract the students.

The classified advertisements in weekend newspapers, the box types and the larger ones, state of the services to scholarships, OL, AL, TOEFL and IELTS students. Responses are very good.

This being the scenario, many students do not attend schools regularly for the simple reason they bank on private tuition. It was reported in the media recently that many OL and AL pupils cut school to attend private classes.

This happens with the knowledge of parents. Maths, Science, English, Commerce, Accounts, Economics, Business Studies, etc are taught here in a methodical and systematic way so that they will never miss classes, cutting school. They have trust and confidence here for the excellent notes, tutorials and exam centred questions.

The name of the game is to pass exams with high grades. It is natural for us to patronise a hotel often when the food served is palatable. Delicious food attracts many customers as you would have observed in your life, dear readers.

When there are private tutories and tutors catering such tasty menus to ‘tantalise the taste buds’, knowledgewise, would not the children go there to savour the delights? And enhance their knowledge to face competitive exams and be successful.

Like garment industry tuition industry has come to stay. No wonder, a former President late Ranasinghe Premadasa observed there are tuition mudalalis in the country. There was a suggestion to impose tax on these category of tutors. Parents are the custodian of children.

They know what is best for their off-spring although there are many others who undergo difficulties to pay monthly tuition fees. The majority thinking is that school education is not all enough because examinations have become so competitive, and they do not want their children to be lame ducks!

Tuition can help if it covers school syllabus

D. H. Sathischandra

STUDENT PERFORMANCE: Education has to impart knowledge, skills, values and attitudes and build the character of students to be responsible citizens. Teachers students, State and parents are the main stakeholders in education.

In recent times business enterprises and private tutors have become significant stakeholders. Tuition was prevalent in the past, but it is widespread and institutionalised nowadays. Tuition basically provides knowledge.

There several factors behind the rise of private tuition. For effective learning students need to understand and comprehend the subject taught. Without this understanding what is learned will not be absorbed, contemplated and applied. The main responsibility for providing this understanding lies with the teachers.

To be effective in this role teachers should be qualified, trained, motivated and dedicated. Whatever said and done students still pass examinations through learning. The failure in understanding the subject is aggravated by the present practice of continuously promoting students irrespective of their poor performance in the previous grade.

As you move from one grade to another without a firm foundation, understanding and comprehension become more difficult. The other factors which reinforce this problem include the shortage of teachers in schools and the large size of classes that prevents special support for slow learners and co-operative learning which benefit students of all abilities.

Students who lag behind in knowledge and understanding tend to seek private tuition to catch up. The other factor behind the expansion of private tuition is the highly competitive nature of our school education system culminating in the GCE Advanced Level Examination, the results of which determine entry to State universities.

While the Government is unable to accelerate the setting up of State universities due to financial and other resource constraints, private degrees are available only at a cost. competition for entry into State universities is therefore, intense. Our school education system is based primarily on standardised testing.

Too much testing make teachers start teaching for the examinations but many aspects of learning cannot be measured that way. Some educationists believe that too much testing creates artificial time pressures and penalises students who want to learn things in their own way.

Further, in the present education system students are unable to change from the vocational to the academic track. For all these reasons competition to gain entry to State universities is severe.

The role of parents as a major stakeholder in children’s education leaves much to be desired. Parents fall into different categories with regard to their active interests in their children’s education. Their involvement varies from pro-activity to sheer negligence, once they get their children admitted to a school.

A significant number of parents who are proactive send their children to nursery schools, give every facility required for their education, encourage the reading habit, provide access to books and other reading material, help them to search and gather information, encourage and motivate them in their home work, discourage excessive TV watching and inappropriate TV programmes, guide them to exploit the educational and learning value of TV and so forth.

At the other extreme there are pleasure centred parents who make their decisions based on what will give them the most pleasure and have less time for their children’s education. Similarly, work centred parents too tend to neglect their children and their education.

Most parents expect the teachers to take full responsibility for their children’s education ignoring the fact that children spend more time at home than in school and absolve themselves of their responsibility.

All these factors have combined to contribute to the rise in private tuition. It is a matter of supply and demand. Both students and parents have doubts about passing competitive examinations with good results by depending exclusively on school education.

Parents and students have made the choice and the private tutors have responded to that demand. Private tuition is a help if it succeeds in covering the syllabus of the subject and providing understanding and comprehension of the subject. It has to be of high quality.

Since there is a competition among private tutors parents and students have the choice to go to the best tutor. In this context the private tutor has no alternative but to upgrade the quality of their teaching and secure more success at competitive examinations.

They have to upgrade their teaching and teaching material all the time. There are private tutors who conduct classes for small groups. This would enable them to give special support to slow learners and help them catch up.

It would also enable them to use the tool of co-operative learning for the benefit of students of all abilities. In a way the increase in private tuition is a reflection of the quality of teaching in schools and gives signals to both.

Private tuition has undesirable consequences under some circumstances. If students cut schools to attend private tuition classes, it affects school discipline. Students tend to become disrespectful to teachers and indifferent to classroom work. This could affect the general atmosphere of the classroom for learning.

If they cut school on the pretext of attending private tuition classes and engage in untoward activities such behaviour would bring harm to themselves, school, family and society.

If students attend tuition classes after school it would reduce the time available for play and leisure and family life necessary for the overall development of the child. Private tuition is therefore, a complex issue.

It is tied up with the school education system. Higher education system, teacher quality and teacher shortage, education policy, role of parents and so forth. In depth study covering all these aspects is required before taking remedial measures to minimize harmful effects. These measures should be accompanied by attitudinal changes among the various stakeholders.

A superfluous aid

Miran Perera

EDUCATION SYSTEM: Wide gaps, inequalities and disparities in education between cities and rural areas and between rich and poor are considered as inherent characteristics of our education system and has been identified as issues of national interest.

These also are part of the causes for many students taking up private tuition. We cannot deny that we are in a crisis where parents and the public at large have lost confidence in the school system. Also some segments of the population have no faith in the programs conducted by tutories.

Student unrest has taken a very nasty turn and student discipline is deteriorating daily. The tutories cannot in any way contribute towards these problems positively. Because of poor quality tutories our constant rhetoric about providing a good education fails miserably.

Our education policies have been visionary. Our goals are laudable. But we are still far away from showing visible impact of reforms which could be comprehensive, progressive and indeed forward thinking. 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 where the children have the freedom to move the way they want. Education imparted in this country should conform to a general coordinated plan. The system of education in the past has produced at great expense people who do not fit in to any jobs.

Therefore it is necessary to prevent a great national waste of energy and waste of money. The waste must be prevented if there is going to be any valuable change in the system of education.

Kannangara reforms in 1945 which created a new epoch expanded the educational facilities substantially to the benefit of the children of less privileged people particularly who were living in far away places. Yet now there is a trend where these students travel far in to the cities to attend private tutories.

The free education scheme with the central colleges removed the socio-economic barriers as regards to the access of education. Sadly now be it the rich or poor tuition classes are attended by large numbers of students.

English was used as a second language whilst the medium of instruction was allowed the mother tongue. Effective controls were put in place to manage private and assisted schools but did not venture out to unduly control or stifle the non-government participation in education. Perhaps this may be one of the reasons that private tuition and tutories have mushroomed everywhere.

The above reforms had a major impact on making education available to a vast majority of less privileged in this country. Students need to have sound practical knowledge. By spoon-feeding them through private tuition classes one cannot build a good personality. Schools teach children discipline and build their characters which is the most important thing.

Intelligence is something one learns by experience or by practical knowledge. Tuition classes cannot give this intelligence or the practical mind. 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 to go for tuition classes when it comes to education. Tuition classes are not needed but with this prevailing 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. The quality of education will depend on the commitment of the teacher and his/her performance in the classroom be it a school or tuition class.

The improvement of management at every level, the school, the zone, the province and the Ministry is one of the strategies that could be utilised to reach excellence which the private tutories do not have. 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. Sometimes 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.

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. Most people believe that the measurement of intelligence is getting good results at an exam or the ability to get in to a good university.

Children drive themselves to gain knowledge from tuition classes because of this self-imposed pressure. With time they become more and more addicted to such tuition classes. This is mainly because of the competition but it does not overall raise the standards of our education.