In 2018, the average hiring cost of a private tutor in Singapore was $30 per hour for primary schools, $40 for secondary schools and $55 to $60 for junior college, according to the Hellotoby website. These rates reflect more than anything else the heightened consciousness of the benefits of tutoring. The environment in which children are learning is much more competitive than it was a decade ago. It is no longer sufficient to be ‘good enough’ – students must now strive to be exemplary. One way parents are giving this extra edge to their kids is by contracting the services of private tutors. But the question is: can you afford it?
Tutoring as a 21st Century Necessity
An article by the Guardian coined the term ‘educational arms race’ to describe the environment under which learning takes place in our age. While tutoring was previously a privilege the upper classes accorded to their children, it is now a consideration that all parents must make in an effort to secure the best future for their kids. In the same breath, as the demand for tutors has risen, the tutoring job market has expanded considerably to meet the demand. If some parents are still hesitating to contract a tutoring service, it is not because of a shortage of tutors but a question of cost. However, private tutoring is an investment with immense benefits, and the only question we should be trying to answer is how to afford it. The good news is, there are various ways you can fund private tutoring for your kid through savings and smart investments like stocks.
Cut Your Spending
Oscar Wilde observed that people know the price of everything but the value of nothing. As parents, we must address ourselves to the value of tutoring and then ask how we can meet its price. As tutoring is an investment, one way to free up money for it is by reducing spending on luxuries. Cutting back on take-out meals and unplanned shopping sprees could save you thousands of dollars each year. Another way to free up money is to try a carpool arrangement. This will significantly reduce the money you spend on gas. You can also try to cut down on bills at home by using less energy and reducing how much water you use around the house. The extra cash you get to save can be used to pay for your kid’s private tutoring.
Alternative Options for Freeing Up Funds
After you’ve cut unnecessary expenses from your budget, you can now think of other ways to fill the gaps. One way to do this is to have a discussion with your private tutor to try and get a discounted price. You may be surprised to learn that some tutors offer a group rate for those enrolling more than one student. Most tutoring services have lower rates for off-peak hours as well, so if your child has a flexible schedule, you can take advantage of this and get a lower price.
The benefits of tutoring greatly outweigh its monetary costs. Ultimately, everybody can afford private tutoring, the question is how. We must look at the value of it before the price, and once we do this, we can see it as an investment worth making for our kids.