Private tuition for as much as Dh400 an hour in Dubai

Dubai, UAE: Despite rising school fees in Dubai, parents are still digging deep and forking out extra money for private tuition here - some as much as Dh400 an hour. In August this year, 142 schools in Dubai qualified to raise their annual school fees from 3.21 per cent to as high as 6.42 per cent as per the Knowledge and Human Development Authority's (KHDA) fee framework. Although not all 142 took advantage of the fee hike, some did, which left parents sweating. But it hasn't affected spending sentiments when it comes to private tuition. "There has been a marked rise in the use of private tutors in the UAE. We have seen significant growth of tuition centres and private tutors over the past year," Dev Chopra, CEO of Talenttutors.com, told Khaleej Times. Chopra said there tends to be a "spike in demand for tutoring" at the start of school terms and around exam times. But he reiterated this is not a negative reflection on the education system here. In fact, it is quite the opposite. "We feel that this does not necessarily reflect on the quality of formal education but rather the increasingly competitive environment that students find themselves in." And Tristan Francis of A Team Tutors agreed. "Tuition is on the rise with students actively seeking a private tutor to ensure they perform to their true potential." But with this rise, are we seeing any particular trend in demographics? Although both Francis and Chopra agreed the clientele are "extremely mixed", of Chopra's 169 student clients, 81 are girls (47 per cent) and 88 are males. Both agreed that the highest demand subjects are Mathematics and Sciences as these are "compulsory for most students". However, they are seeing a peak in tertiary education students, especially as the curriculum intensifies. "Higher education is becoming more and more competitive so everyone is trying to perform better than the previous years," Francis said. So what exactly are parents paying for the privilege? At A Team Tutors, tuition fees can range anywhere between Dh225 and Dh300 per hour depending on the difficulty, rarity and level of the subject required. Currently they have about 60 students on their books, with the average client participating in one to two hours of tuition a week. "The busiest periods are Christmas due to mock exams, and Easter with summer finals," Francis said. At Talent Tutors, the price range is slightly more diversified. Of the 547 tutors on their website, costs range from Dh30 per hour to Dh400. Although it is possible for students to perform on their own, guidance from a tutor no doubt helps in reducing gaps in knowledge and lowering the stress that students are put under. Private tutoring has no relation to any strength or weaknesses in the education sector, but there is no doubt that pockets are continuing to burn here, all for the sake of a better education. How much does a tutor cost (on average): If the average student takes on one hour of extra tuition a week, Khaleej Times worked out just how much parents are willing to pay for their child's private tuition. (Figures are based on the average hourly rates mentioned by Talent Tutors and A Team Tutors) Hourly rate = Dh215 (average of Dh30-Dh400) Average number of school weeks in an academic year = 39 Total: Dh215 x 39 = Dh8,385 annually Looking for a tutor? 1. Ask about tutor's prior experience/qualifications: Ask for references and get a feel for whether this is the right tutor for you 2. Check how many students would be in the group: You may be opting for a private tutor because you struggle in the classroom setting. This will help you find out how close-knit the interaction will be 3. Are all students in the group for the same subject? - If you're studying in a group, it is often more beneficial to be studying the same subject 4. Find out how long the tutor will be around: Opt for long-term engagement as this helps instill more confidence in the tutor-student relations © Khaleej Times

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