Economics of Private Tutoring in Sri Lanka: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Private Supplementary Tutoring (PST) or shadow education is defined as fee-based tutoring that provides supplementary instruction to children in academic subjects that they study in the mainstream education system.  In Sri Lanka, free education is provided for all students from the primary stage to the first degree level of university. Fuelled by the extremely high competitiveness in main national examinations, private tutoring in the country has recorded a tremendous growth and it is widespread phenomenon in both urban and rural sectors. The main purpose of attending PST is to increase academic performance in national level examinations; however, the impact of PST on educational achievement is still in dispute. However, literature confirms the net negative gains may influence in shaping socio cultural norms in a country. Thus it is critical in understanding the economic burden and socio-cultural distortions made by this phenomenon beforehand in formulating or amending education policies yet a little attention is paid specially on the indirect cost of PST. Therefore the main objective of this study is to explore the roots and the indirect costs of PST in the country.  The data for the current study has obtained from focus groups that were conducted in both rural and urban sectors in three districts: Colombo, Kalutara, Galle and Matara. Data were analyzed using qualitative approach. It was found a consensus among the participants on the negative economic impact of private tutoring on family income.  It was well established that the majority of the students who attend PST are not able to get a balanced diet, sufficient sleep, active lifestyle and stress free mind which are needed for a healthy life.  Conventional student teacher relationship is shown to be deteriorated by the PST bias cultural change and reduced level of social capital fall t is risk of fall the families into vulnerability. At the macro level, PST affects female labour force participation, vehicle fuel consumption, road congestion, risk of non commutable diseases among the young. Remedial measures to address the weakness of the formal education system;  effective government interventions such as improving teacher qualities, providence of necessary resources to the schools and more specifically sufficient increase of teacher salaries, reducing the class size in public schools, adjusting school syllabuses into manageable level and regulating of PST are recommended.

Keywords: Private tutoring; School education; Phenomenological method;  Sri Lanka