5th May 2010 9:00
By Blue Tutors
In a report on the Sydney Morning Herald’s website private tutors are asking for more recognition as part of the school system in light of the increased demand for tuition for the NAPLAN (National Assessment Program literacy and numeracy) tests. Tuition agencies say that they have experienced a massive increase in requests for tuition since the test results were first published 12 weeks ago.
However, principals have claimed that the increased amount of tutoring is not a good thing. The NAPLAN tests are designed to identify students who need increased help for their teachers, and when these students receive private tuition it masks the problems that they are experiencing.
The publication of the test results has created a frenzy among parents who want to ensure their child does as well as possible. One tuition agency commented that some households spend up to 30% of their income on a tutor, and that there needs to be more transparency about the extent of supplementary education.