Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
Tuitions all the rage today and the specifics will astonish you! The writer recounts how this trend is inescapable and the reasons for its prevalence.
Tuitions are all the rage today and the specifics will astonish you! The writer recounts how this trend is inescapable and lists the reasons for its prevalence.
I was interacting with a bunch of kids in the local playground a few days ago. In the course of idle banter, I asked them about what they did when they came back from school.
“Tuitions, aunty,” they all said. And they all were studying in top-rated schools in the locality, schools that charged hefty fees.
“Why do you go for tuitions?” I asked
“Because our parents send us,” said one.
“Because the teachers in school don’t teach us well. So we need to get extra assistance,” said another.”I think because my parents have more money than time,” said a precocious third.
To myself I thought: “First you pay school fees, then tuition fees and also spend extra time, effort, fuel to ferry them to and from tuition classes. Today’s education!”
Looking back at my own life, during all my schooling years, I never really attended a single tuition class. Teaching was done by the teachers at school. This was followed by some self-study at home under the guidance of immediate or extended family. That was good enough for a vast majority of students, and most of us fared reasonably well in school and life. If any kid needed extra help or coaching in a specific subject, then they enrolled in a tuition class for a few weeks. Many teachers in the school offered to conduct after-school coaching in school premises to help out kids who were struggling.
Fast forward to today: I don’t know of any child in my personal network who does not attend tuition. No matter where they reside in India, school and tuition are integral to their education. I’ve heard of parents and children attending tuition for preparation to the nursery school admissions! I’ve heard of a 4-year-old attending Spanish tuition to build language skills! And I’ve seen a 10th grader attending six hours of tuition classes and six hours of school in a day! That too in an era where “knowledge is free” and Dr. Google can teach you almost anything you want to learn.
I’ve heard of parents and children attending tuition for preparation to the nursery school admissions! I’ve heard of a 4-year-old attending Spanish tuition to build language skills! And I’ve seen a 10th grader attending six hours of tuition classes and six hours of school in a day!
On the other side, I’ve seen tuition teachers earning more (tax-free) income from the cushy comforts of their home than the teachers who teach in school. I’ve heard of tuition teachers taking classes from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m. in the night. I’ve heard of families buying an extra car and hiring a driver just to ferry their kids to and from tuition.
Tuition, clearly, is big business in India.
As I observe and think through this (multi-)crore industry, I’m left with more questions than answers.
First, as parents you are paying twice for your child to learn. Now, does every really child need to taught twice? I thought with each progressive generation, kids are becoming smarter, brighter, faster learners. So why should they be taught twice?
Second, with the nuclear family set-up, many times kids are difficult to control within the confines of the four walls. So parents send kids to tuition as a way to bring some order and control to their child’s life.
Now, does every really child need to taught twice? I thought with each progressive generation, kids are becoming smarter, brighter, faster learners. So why should they be taught twice?
Third, working parents don’t really have the time or energy at the end of the day to get children to sit and study. With more disposable income at hand and increasing competition, coupled with a desire to provide access to the best learning resources, many parents hire a tutor to aid in today’s competitive education landscape.
Do you have any answers? Or more questions? Leave a comment to let me know.
Image via Shutterstock.
Working Mom • Marketologist - Digital Artisan - Brand Storyteller • Ideapreneur • Writer - Blogger - Columnist • IIMB Alumni • Mentor • Horizon Gazer • Alchemist • Creator - Connector - Catalyst - Collaborator - Community Builder • Chief Happiness Officer of my Life read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
Please enter your email address