Asia spending billions on tutors: study

[jtoh]

Busymom:

Reading some posts here, a word comes to my mind : nanny state.


LOL.

Haha! Yes. Was thinking the same.

[Lilac66]

wonderm:

limlim:

[quote=\"3Boys\"]

Yes, I find that whole attitude to be repulsive. What does one really expect the MOE to do? Its really no-win.

If a particular school have a very small % of students attending enrichment/tuition classes, and yet can perform well, the school/teachers should be duly praised and rewarded.

Such practice does not take into account family background of the students. How about a student with both parents working, vs one with SAHM and especially if the SAHM can teach well? Would this practice encourages schools to pick students from certain family background, further disadvantage those who need the good teachers more?
[/quote]
You have a valid pt there about SAHM. My DS is coached by me and in a sense I think he's faring ok because of that even w/o tuition. But I don't think schools will be able to pick students la, going by the present system.

[Lilac66]

jtoh:

Busymom:

Reading some posts here, a word comes to my mind : nanny state.


LOL.

Haha! Yes. Was thinking the same.

Just trying to live up to our reputation.

[limlim]

wonderm:

I have no issue with requiring them to back up their claims with statistics. But just wonder why only tuition centres then? should we require similar \"justification\" from those advertising other products? e.g. are those perfect skins of beautiful models really due to the use of such such lotions?

Again, I am not against regulation or even complete ban of such ads because I never really believe them or be overly influenced by them.

This goes back to the very basic point which I have mentioned a few times..

The tuition phenomenon.. is it a social problem? is it unhealthy?

if parents or MOE don't see it as a problem, nothing needs to be done.

If majority feels that it is a problem then something needs to be done. Then we can discuss on what needs to be done.

I don't feel casino advertisement is a problem. I don't feel that with them offering shuttle bus to heartlands is a problem. But some people feel that it is a problem.. and so action was taken and casinos had their hands tied when it come to advertising/soliciting for patronage.

[cherryc]

Limlim, I agree and support most of your recent posts .


And Funz, you are so funny, I like your over imaginative tuition advertisements to warn people!

I am also thinking of the registration fees or admin fees of $30 or so charged by the tuition centres. It is a very good source of revenue for them for doing nothing much and we parents trying out different centres. If we can set recommended fees guide for doctors and dentists , I wonder why tuition centres can set sky high fees. Some are already charging $70 plus per lesson for a big group of class which amounts to $1000 per lesson for the centre with no guaranteed results . I guess is supply and demand which we can’t control but can be regulated ?

[oxyleo]

So happy to see that there seems to be some common ground identified!


limlim - thank you for persevering and articulating your thoughts consistently.

And here's an update on Channel News Asia's current poll regarding tuition. Currently, over 1000 voters have participated.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/polls/index.php?id=843&ranid=2664

[wonderm]

Lilac66:

You have a valid pt there about SAHM. My DS is coached by me and in a sense I think he's faring ok because of that even w/o tuition. But I don't think schools will be able to pick students la, going by the present system.

We are similar there, my children don't need 1:1 tuition because they can consult me if they have questions.

As for school picking students, you are right, they can't really pick going by the present system. But would teachers start asking mummies to quit their jobs instead of advising them to send their kids to tuition? Or better still, ask the parents to attend supplementary classes to learn the syllabus well so that they can coach the children at home? By the way, we have never encountered teachers recommending tuition, heard it from this forum.

[verykiasu2010]

wonderm:

By the way, we have never encountered teachers recommending tuition, heard it from this forum.

same same

if anything, the teacher told us the materials used by that centre not updated one, some more a certain principal also said that centre no good (the principal' personal opinion only, and the principal also said may be the kid not smart lor)

[Picolo]

verykiasu2010:

wonderm:

By the way, we have never encountered teachers recommending tuition, heard it from this forum.

same same

if anything, the teacher told us the materials used by that centre not updated one, some more a certain principal also said that centre no good (the principal' personal opinion only, and the principal also said may be the kid not smart lor)

same same 2.

Only read from this forum. The only time I was told of parents asked to get tuitions for their kids was... none actually. This tuition-hungry friend of mine asked the teacher during PTM whether she should send her dd for some enrichments first, and the teacher answered \"ok for more exposure\". So it was not a teacher-initiated request.

[doodbug]

verykiasu2010:

wonderm:

By the way, we have never encountered teachers recommending tuition, heard it from this forum.

same same

if anything, the teacher told us the materials used by that centre not updated one, some more a certain principal also said that centre no good (the principal' personal opinion only, and the principal also said may be the kid not smart lor)

I haven't encountered a teacher who asks the class kids outright to go for tuition. But I've had teachers who
- told me that their own children attend Busy Bees and it's good
- say that the child will benefit from extra academic help outside of school.