The big money behind tutoring in Hong Kong
Students exit the Beacon College located in Tsim Sha Tsui.Tutoring centre Modern Education recently wrote an open letter to star tutor Lam Yat-yan, inviting him to leave his job at Beacon College and join their team, while offering him huge amounts of money.
Private tutoring has evolved into big business. We are talking about an industry that has become so successful that star tutors like Lam can earn an annual salary of HK$85 million. Tutors in these education centres appear on life-size posters in MTR stations and on buses, professionally dressed and posing like models. Their credentials are printed at the bottom of the posters, guaranteeing students better grades in the DSEs.
But since when was the focus of education all about advertising and grades? Shouldn’t we be more concerned about the fact that tutoring is a way to beat the results-orientated system?
Of course, some students are inspired by their tutors, and learn more about the subjects they are studying. But students should be clear about the purpose of education and tutoring: it should be about learning, not just passing tests.