DOHA: Come examinations, demand for private tutors go up and so are their fees. Several academicians say efforts by schools and the government to curb the practice have miserably failed.
With the rising cost of living in the country and the frequent hike in school fees, private tuitions have become an additional financial burden for a number of low and middle income families.
"Many schools have banned private tuitions but teachers continue with the practice knowing well that it is a violation of the rules. Private tuitions are thriving despite all efforts to control it ," Heza Al Hamedani, operator of an Independent School told an Arabic daily.
Amina Al Hail, a noted Qatari psychologist said that examination stress is a major factor that forces many students to rely on private tuitions ahead of their final examinations.
"The dependence on private tutors can be reduced through a proper planning of the study schedule. Most students start preparing for the examinations at the end of the academic year and end up with a private tutor," she noted.
Citing an old study she said parents of students enrolled in Independent schools spend an average QR8,000 per year for private tuitions while the amount is much higher in the case of international schools- QR14,000. As for Arab private schools, the average annual spending for private tuitions is estimated to be QR3,000.
"There is no doubt that private tuitions will have an negative impact on class room coaching. Teachers conducting tuitions after the school hours will not be able to perform well in the classes," said another academician, also working with an Independent school.
He pointed out the low salaries of private school teachers is a major factor that keeps this practice thriving.
Neither the new teaching methods being introduced by several schools nor the extra classes offered to weak students have helped curb the practice.
Private tuitions in fact reflect badly on the quality of school coaching.
Many parents say that they have been forced to send their children to a private tutor because they are not getting proper coaching in the schools.
"Students are not getting individual attention in the classes. Children can not clear their doubts in the classroom since there is no close interaction between the students and the teachers. Schools are introducing new methods like e-learning but they have not helped improve the teaching standards," said an expatriate parent.
© The Peninsula 2012
