Private tutoring and its impact on A/L students: A case study

Abstract

Although Sri Lanka is one of the countries which provide free education for all students since 1945, private tutoring can be identified as another emerging education sector. The high demand for private tutoring, reflects a need to understand the real returns of private tutoring in Sri Lanka. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between private tutoring and academic achievement of the G.C.E.A/L students in Kuliyapitiya Education Zone, Sri Lanka. The two objectives of the research are: to estimate the impact of private tuition on academic achievement of G.C.E.A/L students and to determine the most influential factors affecting the private tutoring participation of G.C.E.A/L students. Data was collected through a primary survey and the research instruments used in the study were questionnaires and in-depth-interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using the OLS (Ordinary Least Square) regression model and descriptive charts. Qualitative data were analysed through thematic analysis, through organizing data into themes and sub-topics. The research findings when in co-operated with the primary objective show that private tutoring has a significant and positive impact on the students‘ achievement in terms of tuition expenditure, tuition hours and Tuition Satisfaction Index of students qualitatively. Also supporting to the secondary objective, micro-level factors like the income of household, parental educational level, regional location and peer groups and macro-level factors like inefficiencies in public education system, linkage between education and future success in the labour market, cultural values and nature educational system which uses formal examinations for education allocation and limited opportunities in entering for universities, determine the demand for private tutoring. This implies that private tuition yields enormous influence on students‘ academic achievement. Therefore, revision of the Sri Lankan education system, improving the quality of school education and well-systematic regulation of private tutoring should be highly focused on.