HYDERABAD: As schools continue to be shut, private online tutorials and home-tutoring has started to see an uptick in business with several parents shelling out much as Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 a month towards them.
Parents admit that they are signing their children up for private tuitions, for fear of them falling behind. “During online classes, school teachers seem to be in a hurry to complete the syllabus. It is almost like they assume that the grasping power of every child is the same. But that is not true. My child, for instance, is barely able to follow what is taught during class. Hence, I had to appoint a private tutor to help him complete his assignments, homework and clear his doubts,” said Vaishali Kiran, parent of a class 4 student who spends Rs 15,000 per month towards home-tutoring.
Another reason pushing parents towards private tutoring is the introduction of Telugu as a compulsory language by the Telangana government from class 6 in all schools.
The rule also applies to schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CICSE).
“Until last year, my husband and I managed to teach our daughter all the subjects at home. But with her moving to class 6 this year and Telugu made a third language, it has become tough for us since we aren’t familiar with the language. That’s why we decided to get a home-tutor who is now charging Rs 600 per class,” said Shashi Gupta, an IT employee.
The trend has also emerged as an alternate source of income for teachers reeling under severe financial stress. Amid the pandemic last year, many private schools stopped paying salaries to their teachers, for months on end. With parents seeking private tutors, these teachers say that they have observed a sudden rise in demand.
“Last year, parents thought that online classes would go on only for a year. This year, many are worried about learning levels of their children. Math as a subject is in high demand among parents looking for tutors,” said D Shyamala, a private tutor, adding that more number of students from junior class are being enrolled for all subjects.
