Thanks to a sharp-eyed reader, we were alerted to a news article on Channel News Asia (CNA) which featured comments by our head tutor, Ms Yvonne Chen!
The feature article takes a closer look at the tuition industry in Singapore, its current and future trends, as well as how it has been impacted by the pandemic. Our representative was invited to be interviewed, along with other leading tutors and tuition centre operators in Singapore.
Here are some key highlights from the article:
Rise in demand for tuition due to home-based learning
Tuition centres and tutors have been experiencing a rise in new enquiries and sign-ups ever since home-based learning kicked in for students. The parents interviewed cite reasons such as lowered motivation and focus in their children due to distance-learning, as well as difficulty touching bases with their school teachers to keep track of their child’s learning.
The solution? Tuition, it seems.
From a tuition centre’s point of view, we understand the challenges that the pandemic has brought to students. So, we have been continually striving to keep up to date with teaching technologies to enable high quality online classes for times like the circuit breaker, or for those who continue to prefer the convenience of online classes.
Increasing number of tuition centres run by ex-MOE teachers
Another trend we see is a large portion of tuition centres in Singapore being headlined by former MOE school teachers. These are often highly popular amongst students, due to the credibility brought about by the tutor’s qualifications and experience.
In fact, Future Academy is also run by two former MOE teachers, Ms Chen who has taught in Raffles Girls School and Nan Hua High School, as well as Mr Jason Lau, who was the head of department of Math in Hwa Chong Institution.
As teachers who were once in the national education system, these tutors have a better understanding of what students need and what schools expect – things that only experience can teach.
Traditionally, we think that only academically-weak students need tuition. But speak to any student or their parent today, and there’ll be a myriad of reasons why they chose to enrol in tuition.
For some, it is about efficiency. In Future Academy, where about half the students are IP students, you might not think they need tuition as they are already academically strong. But according to Ms Chen, some of her students come for tuition in order to pick up concepts quicker, as it would take a longer time to learn and study it by themselves.
For others, it might be to get a better quality of education which their school cannot provide. Due to the large class size in schools, teachers cannot focus on every student and cater the learning experience to suit everyone. But in tuition classes where the class size is smaller or even one-on-one, the tutor can provide a more personalised curriculum to develop the students’ potentials.
In Future Academy, we have the avenue to nurture each student according to their needs and learning preferences. Higher-ability students can try their hands at more challenging questions and concepts, which they can also use to prepare for competitions like Math and Science Olympiads.
Conclusion
We are once again honoured to be considered amongst some of Singapore’s influential tuition providers to be interviewed by CNA!
Ultimately, we believe that tuition is what you make of it. To us, it is a tool to empower, motivate, and improve lives by providing quality education to those who seek it. As the tuition industry continues to evolve, we will continue to strive to adapt and overcome to provide the highest standard possible to all our students.
To enquire about our tuition classes, simply get in touch with us.