Monitoring of Tuition Centres and Agencies

Mr Yee Jenn Jong asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry will consider (i) active monitoring of tuition centres and agencies to ensure credentials of tutors are genuine; and (ii) working through an industry body to provide a database of tutors whose credentials have been verified by such an independent body.

Students are adequately guided and supported in schools as our teachers do their utmost to help every child. Many schools provide remedial lessons to help weaker students. Specific learning support programmes are given for those who have a weak foundation in the early Primary years.

For students who are coping well in schools, sending them for tuition can create unnecessary stress and detract them from holistic development. If parents should decide to engage tuition services, they will have to exercise their discretion and carry out basic checks, for example, by speaking to the tutors concerned and checking their credentials.

Tuition centres are regulated under the Education Act and tutors in these centres are required to be registered with MOE. In registering the tutors, MOE will check that their academic qualifications meet the minimum standards required to teach the proposed subjects.

Unlike tuition centres, tuition agencies do not directly provide instruction to students. They only provide matching services between tutors and students. They are not regulated under the Education Act or the Private Education Act. With such agencies, parents have to exercise even greater discernment.

The idea of an industry body to maintain a database of tutors may not be the answer as it may still not provide adequate information to parents.