From the Editorial Team
1st June 2023

When people think of tuition centres, they think of intense revision, drilling, and studying to cope with the academic demands of school. However, in recent years, there has been a shift in the practices of tuition centres, where they focus more on the student’s wellbeing and mental health instead of purely academic concerns by providing additional services.

Given the increasing awareness of mental health concerns and the shift away from pure “mugging” (Singlish for studying extremely hard), tuition centres are meeting the needs of students both inside and outside the classroom by organising field trips and providing refreshments for tired students who need a pick-me-up after a long day at school.

It is arguable that these are not simply promotional gimmicks to entice parents and students to sign up to a particular tuition centre, but a good step forward in allowing the student to take breaks from their hectic and sometimes overwhelming curriculum. Students can feel more at home if they can take breaks regularly, which creates a conducive environment for learning.

1. Field Trips

To bolster their learning in classrooms, tuition centres can hold field trips for students to explore and learn outside the classroom. By exposing students to more experiences instead of knowledge in theory, students can broaden their horizons and learn more about the world around them. New experiences also encourage intellectual curiosity and creativity, as students can draw inspiration from their experiences and relate them to their classroom learning.

2. Snacks and Refreshments in a lounge

As students like to study in cafes and restaurants, tuition centres which provide snacks and a lounge for their students to study in could help their students relax before or after classes. Students who have a conducive environment to study in may feel more motivated, especially if they cannot find a conducive environment outside or in the library (which is usually full) to complete their other homework and assignments.

3. Extra activities and events

During the holidays, tuition centres could hold extracurricular classes which give students the opportunity to experience extra skills, such as robotics or coding. These classes could provide a valuable opportunity for students to experience how it is like to apply their classroom knowledge in a real world setting. Moreover, students who take the class and enjoy their time could ask their parents to send them for more classes in a similar vein so that they can learn a new skill.

4. Transportation Options

One of the difficulties students and their parents face in signing them up for tuition classes is how the location of the tuition centre fits into their schedule. Tuition centres could provide shuttle buses or vans for students from MRT stations to ease the parents’ difficulties regarding transportation. With more ease and flexibility with transportation, students will have more energy to concentrate in classes as they will not burn a lot of energy and time during the commute.

5. Freebies upon sign up

Another way tuition centres can incentivise students to sign up and provide a good learning environment is to provide the student with freebies such like merchandise with the tuition centre branding (usually stationery or water bottles) upon signing up. Such merchandise can incentivise the student to take learning at the tuition centre more seriously, as it reminds them of their own school merchandise.

Tuition centres should strive to provide a conducive environment for their students to facilitate learning. Much of learning depends on the student’s attitude and level of motivation. With a good environment for learning to take place, students will feel more comfortable and will focus easier on their studies and achieving their goals.