Tutoring Culture in Hong Kong

Tutoring Culture in Hong Kong

Tutoring is very popular in Hong Kong's education system. According to the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department, in the 2004/05 school year, over 30% of students from primary to high school received tutoring, with nearly 50% in pre-university classes. Students on average spend over HK$800 on tutoring. According to a survey conducted by the Hong Kong Youth Association in 2009, the overall ratio of tutoring among secondary school students increased to 50%.

The popularity of tutoring centers is primarily due to the exam-oriented education system that predominates from primary school to pre-tertiary education in Hong Kong. This system generally relies on public examination results, such as the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination and the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education, directly influencing university admissions. Additionally, the old educational system has a direct impact on the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination and the Hong Kong Academic Ability Test (primary school academic assessment). Regardless of the examination, students' public exam results directly affect the level and type of education they can receive, making tutoring one of their common choices for better preparation. Furthermore, many students seek tutoring due to difficulties adapting or to better prepare for the changes in secondary education, especially regarding the differences in English and Chinese (Cantonese) instruction. Both factors contribute to the tutoring culture in Hong Kong.

Many tutoring centers in Hong Kong offer teaching and practice beyond regular classroom learning, primarily aimed at preparing students for the public examinations mentioned above. These tutoring courses are taught in an exam-oriented manner, covering knowledge not taught in school, providing mock exam papers, and teaching exam answering techniques. Some tutoring instructors even predict the public exam questions (commonly referred to as "tips"), and if they "hit" the questions, they heavily promote their ability to predict. Such tutoring courses are very popular among high school students, and the market is filled with many tutoring "kings" and "queens."

Due to regulations in many schools, daytime teachers are not allowed to work part-time and must use pseudonyms, so many teachers are accustomed to using English names like A. B. Chan or Peter Li, a habit that still persists today.

• The content above is excerpted from Wikipedia