Gan Siow Huang on managing over-reliance on tuition
The overall growth in tuition expenditure across households was similar to the growth in overall household income from all sources, based on findings from the Household Expenditure Survey 2023. It was also similar to the increase in the Consumer Price Index for enrichment and supplementary courses. The Ministry of Education (MOE) recognises that the reasons for taking up tuition are varied – some students genuinely need more dedicated help while others have tuition even though they are coping well. Minister of State for Education Gan Siow Huang, who shared these observations in reply to an MP’s question in Parliament on Wednesday (Feb 5), warned that excessive reliance on tuition can diminish the students’ joy of learning. She highlighted the efforts of MOE to shift away from an over-emphasis on academic results and urged parents to give more time and space for their children to maximise their talents and strengths.
The overall growth in tuition expenditure across households was similar to the growth in overall household income from all sources, based on findings from the Household Expenditure Survey 2023. It was also similar to the increase in the Consumer Price Index for enrichment and supplementary courses. The Ministry of Education (MOE) recognises that the reasons for taking up tuition are varied – some students genuinely need more dedicated help while others have tuition even though they are coping well. Minister of State for Education Gan Siow Huang, who shared these observations in reply to an MP’s question in Parliament on Wednesday (Feb 5), warned that excessive reliance on tuition can diminish the students’ joy of learning. She highlighted the efforts of MOE to shift away from an over-emphasis on academic results and urged parents to give more time and space for their children to maximise their talents and strengths.