Is tutoring really a big problem for the school system?

Contents:

• Why tutoring has begun to attract negative attention
• What problems in schools are increasing the number of tutors and the demand for them
• Ideas on how to fix the situation
• Has tutoring spoiled the "moral image" of teachers?

Why tutoring has begun to attract negative attention

At the International Education Fair (IEF), experts noted a disturbing trend associated with the increase in families' financial expenses on tutoring. Lyubov Dukhanina, Chair of the Council for Professional Qualifications in Education and the Association of Non-State Education, cited data from T-Bank, according to which the volume of loans issued for education has doubled over the past two years. Moreover, 40% of the bank's clients, whose spending information was used to draw these conclusions, used the funds specifically to pay tutors for school subjects. This demonstrates families' growing dependence on additional educational services, highlighting the need to analyze the quality and accessibility of tutoring in the modern educational process.

According to a recent study by RANEPA, 63% of first-year students at Moscow universities used tutors to prepare for admission. The analysis shows that Moscow families can spend up to 750,000 rubles per year on preparation for three subjects, which is the standard for passing the Unified State Exam. Previously, according to HSE data, Russian families spent approximately 249 billion rubles on tutoring services in the 2021/2022 academic year. These figures highlight the growing reliance of students on additional education and the significant financial investment in preparing them for admission to higher education institutions.

In his speech, the founder Mikhail Myagkov, CEO of the Maximum Education platform, explained why public school systems in a number of countries view private spending on children's education as a problem. According to him, the main reason is inequality of access to quality education. Private spending often results in children from wealthy families receiving privileges, which exacerbates social stratification.

Myagkov also noted that public educational institutions should strive to create equal conditions for all students. This includes improving the quality of educational programs and the availability of resources. It is important that every family, regardless of their financial situation, has the opportunity to provide their child with a decent education.

Thus, addressing the problem of private spending on education requires a comprehensive approach and reforming existing educational systems to ensure that all children have equal opportunities for successful learning and development.

• The high demand for tutoring is understood as a sign that regular schools are not fulfilling their purpose and are not teaching properly. In other words, the large number of tutors in the educational services market leads to people perceiving the mainstream school system as inadequate.
• If high exam results can only be achieved with the help of tutors, then those who cannot afford private lessons lose out in the competition for places at leading universities (except for rare talents). The widespread use of tutoring means that there is no equal access to quality education.
• The existence of a vibrant tutoring market alongside the mainstream school system leads to an exodus of teachers from mainstream schools, because private education offers higher salaries and often better conditions. This process has especially intensified with the development of online education—now a tutor can find students not only in their own locality.
• Since tutors are not part of the public school system and do not report to anyone about the content of their programs, it is unknown how they influence students.
• When tutoring becomes a social norm, children are often overloaded with studies—in fact, after the school day at school, they go to a second shift of additional classes, and this has been going on for many years.

What problems in schools increase the number of tutors and the demand for them

During a discussion at the Moscow International Education Fair (MIEF), participants expressed the opinion that the growing demand for tutors is due to objective shortcomings in school education. These shortcomings are becoming more noticeable, which raises concerns about the stability of the education system. As a result, tutors are seen as a source of problems rather than a solution for students seeking additional knowledge and support.

Also study:

Where are teachers comfortable living and working? An Overview of Working and Living Conditions in Different Countries

Teachers play a key role in society, and the choice of country to work and live in can significantly impact their professional performance and quality of life. In this overview, we will look at several countries where conditions for teachers are the most favorable.

In Finland, teachers are offered high salaries, excellent working conditions, and social respect. There is an emphasis on professional development, and teachers can count on continuous professional development.

In Norway, teachers can also boast of stable salaries and high-quality educational standards. Norway offers excellent living conditions, including access to free healthcare and good infrastructure.

In Canada, teachers are highly valued for their work, and training and professional development are supported at the state level. The country is characterized by cultural diversity and a high quality of life.

In Australia, teachers can expect competitive salaries and career advancement opportunities. Modern teaching methods are being actively implemented here, making teachers' work interesting and varied.

In each of these countries, teachers enjoy not only high salaries but also government support, which creates comfortable working and living conditions. Choosing a country to work in can be an important step in a teacher's career, so it's important to consider all aspects, including professional opportunities and quality of life.

Irina Abankina, in her research conducted by the HSE Institute of Education, noted that teacher surveys revealed serious problems in the educational process. In large classes with long lessons, teachers find that methodological work is neglected. They have neither the time nor the energy to implement new teaching methods or technologies. As a result, they are forced to focus on traditional teaching methods, which negatively impacts the quality of education and student development.

Natalya Dmitrieva, a tutor and mentor for teachers, confirmed this assessment based on her own experience and the opinions of her colleagues. She noted that under heavy workloads, teachers often find themselves in a situation where they lack the time to implement innovative methods, and their primary task is reduced to teaching lessons. According to Irina Abankina, modern teachers tutor not only for additional income but also for professional growth. Working with individual students or in small groups, teachers have the opportunity to master new teaching methods and improve their skills. This not only deepens students' knowledge but also contributes to the teacher's development. Tutoring is becoming an important tool for teachers striving for continuous improvement in their profession. The issue of teacher overload, related not only to pedagogical tasks, has become a widely discussed topic. Many disagree with the idea that teachers should additionally collect data on their students and compile reports on every step. Irina Abankina noted that working on online platforms is proving more convenient compared to traditional school instruction. Virtual formats eliminate unnecessary responsibility for educational activities and simplify the organizational aspects of the learning process. This makes online education an attractive alternative for educators seeking to reduce bureaucratic burdens.

A professor at the Higher School of Economics points to a serious problem in the education system: young and talented teachers, just beginning their careers, are choosing to leave traditional schools for online platforms. On these platforms, their teaching skills and effective teaching methods are more in demand, while the workload is significantly lighter than in traditional schools. This leads to a loss of qualified personnel in traditional education and calls into question the quality of education in schools. It is necessary to find ways to retain young professionals in the system by offering them more attractive working conditions and opportunities for professional growth.

The school curriculum is structured in such a way that it necessitates tutoring, asserts Lyubov Dukhanina. In surveys conducted among teachers, they acknowledge that students need additional tutoring to successfully prepare for exams. This underscores the importance of an individualized approach to learning and the need for additional resources to achieve high academic results. Tutoring is becoming an important component of the educational process, allowing students to deepen their knowledge and prepare for exams more effectively.

Natalya Dmitrieva, a chemistry and biology tutor who participated in the discussion, noted that one hour of biology and one hour of chemistry per week are not enough to successfully prepare for the Unified State Exam. This is the amount of time allocated in federal educational programs for the basic level of these subjects in high school. To achieve high results, it is necessary to devote more time to study and practice, which will allow you to better understand the material and prepare for exams.

In a standard class, according to Lyubov According to Dukhanina, teachers are unable to revisit previously covered topics as often as necessary for each student to fully grasp the material. Therefore, families are increasingly turning to tutors in search of solutions to this problem. Tutors can offer a personalized approach that allows each student to more deeply understand and reinforce their learning, which contributes to more effective learning. Firstly, there is a growing demand for improved quality of education. Secondly, the importance of individualizing school education is becoming increasingly evident. In today's environment, tutors are emerging who offer programs that are significantly broader than standard school courses. This indicates the need to adapt educational methods to the needs of each student. Ideas for Correcting the Situation The problems that force teachers to turn to tutoring and families to increase spending on such services do not lend themselves to simple solutions. Participants in the discussion at the Moscow International Education Fair (MIEF) proposed several ideas for addressing specific aspects of this situation.

• Dedicate the entire 11th grade to preparing for the Unified State Exam.

Tutor Natalia Dmitrieva proposed an interesting idea of ​​completing the study of core subjects in the 10th grade and focusing on free exam preparation for students in the 11th grade. Moscow schools have already begun implementing a similar practice, although currently full attention is devoted to exam preparation only in the final semester. Starting in February, USE practical training must occupy at least 40% of the 11th grade's class time. This innovation could significantly improve students' preparedness and help them successfully pass the exams.

• Study the experience of foreign countries.

Anastasia Getman, educational products manager, raises the important issue of the state of private supplementary education for children. In 2021, China passed a law restricting this sector, including tutoring and edtech. The rationale was to reduce the burden on schoolchildren and address educational inequalities arising from high prices. However, the results of these measures have been mixed: according to surveys, the tutoring market has become less transparent, and prices have increased significantly. For example, the cost of preparing for final exams has increased by 50%. This necessitates a review of approaches to supplementary education and the search for more effective solutions that will ensure equal access to high-quality educational services for all children.

Anastasia Getman expressed the opinion that restrictions on tutors may be relaxed in China in the future, as the banning policy has failed. She noted mandatory licensing of tutors, common in other Asian countries, as a more effective practice that could serve as a benchmark for Russia. This licensing helps guarantee the quality of services provided by private teachers and can contribute to raising educational standards.

• Expand independent assessment of teacher qualifications.

Lyubov Dukhanina emphasizes the need to introduce a new mechanism that will help protect the rights of teachers and reduce their shortage, which often leads to excessive workload. Although she did not disclose all the details, it is important to note that independent examination could be taken by specialists from other fields who aspire to become teachers. Similar practices are already successfully used in Australia and New Zealand, which confirms their effectiveness in attracting qualified personnel to the education sector. The implementation of this approach can significantly improve the quality of education and create more favorable working conditions for teachers.

• Enhance the capabilities of school teachers with technology.

Mikhail Myagkov believes in the introduction of certification for tutors, but doubts its ability to significantly improve the system. In his opinion, this is only a "hygienic minimum" necessary to eliminate frankly low-quality lessons from the market. To improve the productivity of school teachers and increase their income, Myagkov proposes reducing the number of teachers and relieving them with the help of digital assistants.

Mikhail Myagkov raises the important issue of reducing the workload of teachers in public schools, proposing to reduce the class size from 45 to 20. However, the question arises: who will assume responsibility for the remaining students? This will require a significant number of new teachers. Is it realistic to provide high-quality education to 2 million teachers? Myagkov expresses doubt about the possibility of improving the quality of education without the implementation of new technologies. Technological development can be a key factor in improving the educational process and optimizing teachers' work. The speaker noted that in Western countries, schools actively use tutoring platforms to support weak students. However, as experience in the United States shows, this approach does not always produce the expected results. Mikhail Myagkov emphasizes the importance of addressing the shortage of subject teachers in rural schools through online classes. He argues that public education should be open to the experience of the private sector, adopting successful practices and establishing partnerships with EdTech companies and individual teachers. This will improve the quality of education and make it more accessible to all students.

Has tutoring spoiled the "moral image" of teachers?

During the last discussion, one of the participants noted that tutoring negatively impacts the quality of general education. She argued that, firstly, tutors take teachers away from schools, and, secondly, teachers do not make an effort to prepare students for the OGE and USE in lessons, believing that everyone is already studying with tutors. This creates a vicious circle in which school education loses its significance, and students become dependent on additional classes.

In response to the opinion expressed, tutor Natalia Dmitrieva noted that in her practice she has not encountered teachers who would be negligent in their duties. The main factors hindering students' quality preparation for assessments are lack of time and other constraints. Unfortunately, it was not possible to discuss this opinion in more detail during the panel discussion.

The opinion expressed in the hall to some extent echoes the position of Olga Vasilyeva, President of the Russian Academy of Education. In February, during a discussion of the future Education Development Strategy in the State Duma, she noted: "I can't imagine a teacher leaving school at 1:30 PM. We stayed until at least 4:00 PM. Now, nothing prevents us from leaving earlier and tutoring. It's important to instill moral values ​​in teachers." This underscores the need to return to traditional values ​​in the educational sphere and strengthen the professional ethics of teachers.