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Tuition centres (Malay: Pusat Tuisyen) are cram schools. They are private educational institutions which offer tutoring in various subjects and preparation for specific tests and examinations. Cram schools with the title "tuition centre" are predominantly found in Malaysia or Singapore. In other countries they may have different names, such as hagwon, buxiban, or juku. Asians find that tuition classes are necessary for children to keep an edge in the competitive environment. [1]
The introduction and emergence of college and university entrance examinations led to the rise and growth of tuition centres.
According to the University of Malaya: "Private tutoring has become a commonly rooted practice in Malaysia. It is defined as a supplementary instruction outside the formal schooling system where a tutor teaches academic subjects for a fee. The Malaysian government is very particular with the usage of the term “tuition centres”. Licence for tuition centers are only given to institutions that provide tutoring on academic subjects based on the Malaysian curriculum. The tuition centers function by providing extra coaching to the students so that they are prepared for centralized examinations. Parents often view private tutoring as an avenue for enabling their children to excel in examinations". [2]
Private tuition is a billion dollar industry in Singapore with an estimated 1000 tuition centres. [3]
Many school teachers (i.e. tutors) earn supplementary income through tuition centres and agencies by offering tutoring in a range of subjects (predominantly in English, Maths and the Sciences). Some teachers "advertise" their tuition classes and coach those who attend their classes on how to tackle examination questions (i.e. test prep). Their focus is primarily rote learning.
Because of fierce competition in academia for entrance into higher education, the aim of tutoring through tuition centres is not merely a passing result in the corresponding admissions assessments but the highest score possible - resulting in the focus of teaching shifting from transferring a deep and profound understanding in a given subject to drilling for exams. [4]
In contrast to schools where teaching occurs in groups (i.e. classes) and set timetables, tuition centres offer students (i.e. tutees) mostly one-on-one instruction and at times convenient to both, the tutor and the tutee. While teachers at schools are paid through fixed yet capped monthly salaries, their counterparts at tuition centres are compensated through hourly rate payments with (theoretically) no boundaries.
There are teachers who earn up to RM10,000 or S$8,000 by giving private tuition. Notwithstanding, there is a huge, and still growing, trend among local parents who send their kids to tuition. Given the immense academic competition attributed to foreign scholars and the proliferating private-tuition trend, some parents feel that they have little choice but to engage tuition centres or opt for home tuition. [5] [6] [7] [8]
In recent years, online tutoring or online tuition has become increasingly popular as a way for students to receive additional support and instruction in a variety of subjects. Online tutoring can be done through video conferencing platforms, such as Zoom or Skype, and allows students to receive personalized instruction from the comfort of their own homes. This can be beneficial for students who live in remote areas, have scheduling conflicts, or have difficulty attending in-person tutoring sessions.
Online tutoring also allows for flexibility in terms of scheduling and can be a more cost-effective option for families. It also allows for a wider range of teachers to be available to students, as there is no geographical limitation. However, it may lack the in-person interaction and support that can be provided by traditional in-person tutoring.
Overall, online tuition is a convenient and flexible way for students to receive additional support and instruction in a variety of subjects. It allows students to learn at their own pace and schedule, and can be a cost-effective option for families. [9]
In education, a tutorial is a method of transferring knowledge and may be used as a part of a learning process. More interactive and specific than a book or a lecture, a tutorial seeks to teach by example and supply the information to complete a certain task.
Education in Hong Kong used to be largely modelled on that of the United Kingdom, particularly the English system. Since 2012, the overhaul of secondary school diploma has introduced changes to the number of school years as well as the two-tier general examinations. The DSE has replaced the old HKCEE and the A-levels. Education policy in Hong Kong is overseen by the Education Bureau and the Social Welfare Department.
Tutoring is private academic help, usually provided by an expert teacher; someone with deep knowledge or defined expertise in a particular subject or set of subjects.
The educational system in Finland consists of daycare programmes, a one-year "preschool", and an 11-year compulsory basic comprehensive school. As of 2024, secondary general academic and vocational education, higher education and adult education are compulsory.
Education in Slovakia consists of a free education system based on 10 years of compulsory school maintenance.
Education in Singapore is managed by the Ministry of Education (MOE). It controls the development and administration of state schools receiving taxpayers' funding, but also has an advisory and supervisory role in respect of private schools. For both private and state schools, there are variations in the extent of autonomy in their curriculum, scope of taxpayers' aid and funding, tuition burden on the students, and admission policy.
Education in Malaysia is overseen by the Ministry of Education. Although education is the responsibility of the Federal Government, each state and federal territory has an Education Department to co-ordinate educational matters in its territory. The main legislation governing education is the Education Act 1996.
A cram school is a specialized school that trains its students to achieve particular goals, most commonly to pass the entrance examinations of high schools or universities. The English name is derived from the slang term cramming, meaning to study a large amount of material in a short period of time. The word "crammer" may be used to refer to the school or to an individual teacher who assists a student in cramming.
A private school is a school not administered or funded by the government, unlike a public school. Private schools are schools that are not dependent upon national or local government to finance their financial endowment. Unless privately owned they typically have a board of governors and have a system of governance that ensures their independent operation.
Gakushū juku are private, fee-paying schools that offer supplementary classes often in preparation for key school and university entrance exams. The term is primarily used to characterize such schools in Japan. Juku typically operate after regular school hours, on weekends, and during school vacations.
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The National Institute of Education (NIE) is an autonomous institute of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. Ranked 10th in the world and 2nd in Asia by the QS World University Rankings in the subject of Education and Training in 2024, the institute is the sole teacher education institute for teachers in Singapore.
Mander Portman Woodward is a group of British independent schools, with branches in London, Birmingham and Cambridge, offering GCSE and A-Level courses.
Cram schools in Hong Kong are commercial organisations that cater principally to students preparing for public examinations at secondary school level, namely the Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE), and its precursors prior to 2012, Advanced Level and Certificate of Education (HKCEE) examinations.
The A-level is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational authorities of British Crown dependencies to students completing secondary or pre-university education. They were introduced in England and Wales in 1951 to replace the Higher School Certificate. The A-level permits students to have potential access to a chosen university they applied to with UCAS points. They could be accepted into it should they meet the requirements of the university.
In-home tutoring, also known as tuition in British English, it is a form of tutoring that occurs in the home. Tutoring involves receiving guidance and instruction from a tutor who may serve as a teacher or mentor to the student receiving the tutoring. Most often tutoring relates to an academic subject or test preparation. In contrast to tutoring centers or tutoring provided through after-school programs, the practice usually involves one-on-one attention provided to a pupil in their home. When multiple students are present, the practice is also commonly referred to as small group tuition.
Greene's College Oxford is an independent co-educational sixth form tutorial college in Oxford, England, UK. The college specialises in providing bespoke individualised tuition in the tutorial method of learning for students of any age, though mainly 16-18-year-olds.
Direct School Admission (DSA) is a scheme in Singapore introduced in 2004 that allows students to be recognised for their strengths in specific talent areas, such as sports, performing arts, or leadership, alongside their academic performance. The scheme enabled students to secure early admission to schools of their choice. For students entering secondary school in 2005, the scheme was categorised as DSA-Secondary (DSA-Sec), primarily for those applying to the Integrated Programme (IP). In 2005, the Ministry of Education (MOE) extended the scheme to include students seeking direct admissions into junior college, categorising it as DSA-Junior College (DSA-JC).
Buke in the high schools of mainland China refers to the social phenomenon of extra study for the improvement of students’ academic performance in the Chinese National Higher Education Entrance Examination. This extra study is usually in the form of extra mandatory classes organized by high schools, or private tutoring provided by cram schools.