Tuition Culture: The Unequal Playing Field
Singapore is internationally-renowned for its high standard of education, and its exceptional ability to produce students of the highest academic calibre. This title has not been achieved by chance, nor has it merely been a product of good education policies. Rather, it has been achieved through the cumulation of blood, sweat, and tears put in by students and their parents alike. Students are driven by social pressures to do well, while parents are pressured to ensure their children remain competitive in the Singapore education system. This unique circumstance has given rise to the phenomenon known as “Tuition Culture” in Singapore.
Tuition, also known as private education, is a ubiquitous part of students’ lives in Singapore. Many students are enrolled in tuition centres or are taught by private tutors in order to supplement their learning outside of school. The pervasiveness of tuition is evident through a Household Expenditure Survey conducted by the Department of Statistics. The results reveal that Singapore households spent $1.4 billion on tuition in 2017 - a significant increase from previous years, thereby emphasising how there is a growing reliance on tuition in recent years.
While tuition is beneficial to some students, “Tuition Culture” in Singapore has caused significant disadvantages to students from less fortunate backgrounds. The cost of tuition is extremely high, usually being many times that of typical school fees. Hence, this added cost can become a burden on families, especially those with multiple children. Unfortunately, the Singaporean education system severely disadvantages students who do not have tuition in the subject. With the majority of the class having a fundamental understanding of the concepts learnt in school due to tuition, teachers can afford to move faster to finish the syllabus more efficiently. However, this neglects disadvantaged students who may not have the financial capabilities to access tuition, and thus do not have the same foundational knowledge as their peers.
Fortunately, in recent years, the Ministry of Education has recognise the impact that tuition has had on the education system, and has taken steps to provide equal educational opportunities to all. For instance, MOE has encouraged schools to provide more support for students who may be struggling academically, often recommending faculty members to conduct remedial lessons after school so as to reduce the need for tuition. Additionally, the government has placed an increased emphasis on holistic student development, rather than pure academic abilities. This is demonstrated through the changes in the Primary School Leaving Examination scoring system being more forgiving, and the introduction of the Direct School Admission Scheme, which admits students based on their exceptional abilities, instead of academic performance.
The government has not been the only champion of equal education opportunities either. Many non-profit organisations and charities have begun to acknowledge the severity of this issue and roll out their own free tuition services.. Organisations such as Loving Heart Jurong and Happy Tutors in Singapore are at the frontline of these efforts, helping to deliver quality education to underprivileged children who may not have the financial means to access tuition by themselves. There are also student-led initiatives (including Project Reperio under The Unspoken Policy!) that similarly provide tuition for underprivileged communities.
In conclusion, the inequalities caused by tuition culture in Singapore is an undeniable issue. However, with the combined efforts of the government, non-profit organisations, and members of the public, the effects on these disadvantaged communities are mitigated, allowing everyone in society to have an equal access to education.
