2016 Sep 13
by Azraa Killru
When it comes to education, parents simply want to give their children the best. After all, if not for our parents pushing us for better grades and academic performance, it is doubtful that the adult literacy rate in Sri Lanka could be at an astonishing 92.63% in 2015. But does the duty of parents stop at the enrollment of their children at prestigious schools? Do they rest assured that the strong education system and capable teachers will offer their children sound knowledge and high grades? The answer is NO.
Majority of the Sri Lankan parents are plagued with fear: fear that their children will not get good marks or keep up with their fellow classmates. This fear drives them to offer the kids private tuition, which comes at a great deal of cost in terms of finance, time and relinquishment for the students.
So, is private tuition a bad idea?
No, it’s not, if it was taken for the following reasons:
- Your child is in secondary school and is preparing for public exams such as OLs and ALs or would be taking it in the near future.
In this case, extra revision can play a vital role in determining high grades and confidence. The students are likely to benefit because the depth of the syllabus can be better tackled with the notes, lessons and practice gained at private tuition.
- Your child is lagging behind in a particular subject.
Obtaining very low marks at term tests is a cause of concern. Below average grades or very low marks can distress both parents and teachers alike. This might be the result of the student struggling to understand a particular subject. Private tutoring can act as a savior at this point.
- The child is a slow learner
Every student is unique and they vary in their ability to grasp knowledge and cope with class work. Some students can solve math problems in seconds, while some can’t manage to do even the basics. This doesn’t determine a student’s intelligence as some are gifted in logical subjects whilst others’ talents lay in creative arenas.
Slow learners are defined as students whose ability to learn necessary academic skills, but at rate and depth below average same age peers.Slow learners stand to benefit with private tutoring. Individual attention and academic support will enable them to enhance their studies significantly.
- Constant teacher changing
Schools being a labour intensive institution comes with the risk of teachers leaving often. This is a real threat in private schools where employment contracts are not signed or honoured. As a greater proportion of teachers are females, many a time schools lose proficient teachers when they decide to give up their career to begin a family. This puts the students in a pitiful condition as replacement teachers continue the lessons in a completely different style. Weeks or months can go by without any teachers available to conduct certain classes. This is definitely a reason resorting to tuition is wise.
- Parents lacking knowledge to support their kids with homework
We all know how schools treat parents when they admit their children in school. Most of them demand that both parents are educated on the basis that only then will they be able to assist their children with homework. We know it is pretty unreasonable because even illiterate parents dream of giving their children education they were not privileged to obtain.
In this case, when homework becomes challenging and the student is literally breaking down in sweat fearing punishment in school the next day for not turning over the homework, having a tutor to help with studies is nothing short of a blessing from a Fairy Godmother.
When is it not okay to give private tuition for your child?
- When they should be spending more time playing and less time at additional classes
If your child is in middle school or secondary school, struggling with low grades on a continuous basis either due to difficulty in coping or lack of interest in studies, then tuition is a reasonable choice. But it is pitiful to see parents insisting on tuition for pre-school, grade 1’s and 2’s. Sometimes the marks they receive at term tests are 80’s but no, that’s not at all satisfactory for the greedy parents. What’s wrong with people who think they can rob their kids from sufficient play time and rest? Subjecting very young kids to such extra studies is nothing short of torture.
- Societal pressure and competition
Sri Lankan parents have sadly succumbed to the pressure of society. The assumption that if other kids go for tuition, my son or daughter should go too has sunk deep into the minds of parents. Finding the best tutor in town, chauffeuring the kid from school to class and back home and paying thousands of rupees every month is very common all over our country.
- Just to keep them occupied
Seriously? Making the kids pore over the same lessons with different teachers just so you have your kids’ evenings and weekends covered is one of the craziest possible reason for private tuition. Working parents who assume it’s better for the children to study rather than spend time alone at home is simply throwing money down the drain. Moreover, it’s valuable time wasted in the wrong manner.
Alternative activities and classes are likely to be a sensible choice. If the reasons cited above ring true to you and extra academic help is not a necessity for your child, it would be more useful to encourage your child to sign up for sports, co-curricular activities or to learn something non-academic. Choose an area your child is interested in, be it music, dancing, painting, a foreign language or anything else entirely. The world is becoming more dynamic every minute. The challenges our kids may encounter as they grow up are unfathomable. Equipping them with diverse skills to become a multi-skilled personality is crucial for their future success. Allow them to look beyond academic success.
