4 Out of 10 Flemish Students Receive Tutoring

Jan was recently interviewed by VRT to gain insight into the tutoring sector, following the findings of a recent sample conducted by KU Leuven. This sample showed that four in ten secondary school students from second and third grade aso and tso were taking paid tutoring.

Rising demand due to lack of teachers
The growing teacher shortage and pressure on the regular education system have led to a rising demand for private tutoring. Students see tutoring as a crucial way to avoid a B or C certificate and prepare for higher education, such as entrance exams for medicine. The Covid-19 pandemic further reinforced this trend, disrupting traditional tutoring and encouraging parents to seek additional support.

Higher prices
Finding prices for an hour of tutoring is proving to be no easy task. Many offices do not publish their rates to disguise the difference between what the tutor receives and what the parent pays. An investigation by VRT found that the average price for an hour of tutoring at the big four, including Eduvik, was between 30 and 40 euros.
Although some companies claim to charge lower rates for lower-income families, the privatization of tutoring may lead to greater inequality in education, with access to quality support becoming dependent on parents' financial ability.

Quality issues and Eduvik's approach
‍Despite claims by tutoring companies about screening tutors, in practice it turns out that virtually anyone can become a tutor. At Eduvik, we have implemented strict verification between tutors and open reviews of parents to ensure that each tutor is of high quality.

The rise of private tutoring in Flanders reflects both challenges and opportunities in the education system. It highlights the need for an inclusive, accessible, and quality education for all students. While tutoring can provide a temporary solution to individual needs, the focus of government and educational institutions should be on creating a robust and supportive learning environment for all learners. This is also something we fully support at Eduvik.

Want to learn more about this topic? You can read the full article on VRT at this link: Read Article

‍Picture taken from the original VRTNWS article.