Parents ask SEC to control private tuitions
With the beginning of the new academic year, several citizens and parents have called for stricter regulations to curb the menace of private tuitions on the lines of the recent decision on absenteeism in Independent schools.
They said private tutors have already started their job immediately after the schools opened.
According to parents, some tutors are openly challenging directives of the Supreme Education Council (SEC) by advertising their activity in newspapers and online.
Parents wondered why the SEC is not acting against these tutors despite the fact that their personal details are available in the advertisements.
They also feel that many students resort to private tuitions because schools are not doing their job properly.
Talib Afeefa, a Qatari national, said he was expecting the SEC to issue new rules against this phenomenon similar to the just-issued decision against absenteeism.
“Teachers are making a lot of money through private tuitions. Fees vary from grade to grade and according to time and season. They would go up during and before the examinations,” Al Sharq quoted Afeefa as saying.
He said there should be cooperation between families and the SEC to curb the menace and expose teachers violating SEC guidelines.
“Schools have a major role to play in this regard. They should take strict action against teachers giving private tuitions, including termination of their services,” Afeefa added.
Fahd Al Merri, another citizen, called on the SEC to set up a special committee to combat the tuition menace.
He proposed conducting a survey on this issue.
“We should know the reasons that push families to send their children to private tutors. This can be done through a confidential survey without disclosing any names. Based on this, proposals and solutions should be worked out to curb this menace,” said Al Merri.
According to Umm Hamad, a woman, it is primarily the duty of the mother to follow up on the studies of her child and understand his/her strengths and weaknesses.
“If she notices a weakness she must go directly to the school and find a proper solution instead of going to a private tutor. Most families go directly to the tutors without consulting the school and making any effort to know the reasons behind the weakness,” said Umm Hamad.
She suggested that every school give special tuitions to students twice a week to help them revise lessons. The maximum number of students in a class should be restricted to 24 so that each student gets proper attention, she said.
Regulate private tuitions so drive the rouge tutors out, after all when dealing with kids need to have people that can be trusted with kids.
Because the SEC supports their teachers by hiring properly credentialed individuals and supporting them when parents make frivolous complaints against teachers.