Why do parents send their children to extra classes?

For various reasons, even those parents who sometimes scrimp and save from their meager incomes, mostly have to send their children to extra classes.

It is a need stemming from many causes.

Parents sending their children to extra classes may do so as a way to have peace of mind while they are too busy with work. It could also be due to the children's requests after school, begging them to "let me go to extra classes." It could also be because parents find their children's grades are weak. Furthermore, it's possible that some teachers are skimming through class material, teaching half-heartedly, and then forcing students to attend extra classes…

By following the news, the comments under each article, or social media, you will clearly see the diverse forms of extra tutoring and the concerns of parents.

Parents waiting to pick up their children at tutoring centers. This is a common sight every evening in many provinces and cities.

But these stories, regardless of the context, are "as old as the hills." No matter the era, regime, or country, supplementary education is a necessity. Without a specific format, here and there, at different times, in one form or another, it remains a common phenomenon in societies that value education . Even if it were prohibited, it would still occur with the purpose of educating people and acquiring knowledge.

This explains why, in recent days, many parents have been frantically asking teachers about extra classes for their children, and why many teachers have registered as private tutors or "joined" tutoring centers to teach extra classes... To the point that many newspapers have used the phrase "tutoring market" to describe the chaotic state of affairs from many sides: teachers, parents, and especially the students.

Undeniably, the significance and efforts of education administrators in issuing Circular 29, with the desire to create a healthy environment for education and eliminate the long-standing chaotic issues of extra tutoring, are commendable.

However, from a parental perspective, the reaction of parents is also something worth considering, with many different facets. Is it because the educational reform program is too burdensome and not in line with social progress? Or is it because teachers haven't met the desired requirements regarding pedagogical training methods, the limited living conditions, and the perception of tutoring as an essential and humane need?

And sad stories about tutoring and extra classes from real life.

I have a friend who has three children. The first two need extra tutoring in science subjects to prepare for exams, but the youngest daughter doesn't. This situation with her daughter is often a headache for my friend.

The thing is, when my friend was in 9th grade, the subject teacher would call them in once a month. Each time, my friend and her husband would dress up, present their papers at the disciplinary office, and wait. Upon meeting, the teacher would deliver a chilling statement: "This student is at risk of expulsion," followed by a long tirade, citing issues like talking in class, not studying, or arguing with the teacher… Each time, my friend would calmly explain to the teacher that the student was busy, not diligent enough, or still too playful… and promise to cooperate with the teacher. Afterward, the child managed to get through 9th grade, but with the heavy burden of trauma that she later recounted.

My friend told me: "When she was in high school, my daughter unexpectedly showed me a bunch of photos from over three years ago, depicting dozens of her friends attending extra classes at that teacher's house after school in the evening. She said that back then, the teacher tried everything to force her to attend the extra classes, but she refused, so that's why she resorted to coercion." My friend added: "She even repeated something the teacher said that shocked me: 'If you pass the university entrance exam, I'll eat my hat!'"

Fortunately, the child entered high school peacefully. Through her own efforts, and without any extra tutoring, she passed the university entrance exam with a fairly high GPA. However, the haunting memory of being forced to attend extra classes in 9th grade still remains.

Of course, when I heard my friend's story, I still believed, and wanted to believe, that it was just an isolated incident, that only a minority of teachers behaved that way. However, seeing the joyful look in her eyes then, compared to the distant, sad look she had when recounting her child's schooling a few years earlier, made me think of many things. How can we rectify the situation of forcing extra classes in schools?

Students leave a tutoring center in Ho Chi Minh City on February 19th, as Circular 29 on tutoring and supplementary classes comes into effect.

Solutions to address negative aspects of tutoring and extra classes.

Teachers' salaries have gradually improved, especially in the public school system, so the most important solution is that, for public schools, teachers who give extra lessons must register (listing the reasons for giving extra lessons), and the school administration is given the authority to manage and handle cases of teachers giving extra lessons that show signs of misconduct. Of course, there should be sanctions against school leaders if negative situations related to extra lessons occur.

The same applies to private schools or systems of private schools, but there is an equally effective measure: if such a situation occurs three times, the operating license will be revoked (in the next school year).

And third, for freelance teachers with teaching qualifications who specialize in tutoring or exam preparation, they only need to register with the education department (or provincial education authority) and report their income along with receipts from parents. A regulation should be established specifying the monthly income threshold for tax payment (which could be equivalent to the average income of a public school teacher).

Of course, to enhance management effectiveness, the inspection boards of the education sector (public school inspection boards, private school inspection boards, and the tutoring supervision department, including those from the education and tax sectors, for freelance teachers) must be extremely thorough, strict, and impartial, with the high sense of duty and responsibility of those in positions of authority.

These solutions aim to help teachers, in fulfilling their noble profession, avoid being labeled as "greedy for money," which can sometimes lead to biased and distorted perceptions among parents and society. This significance, perhaps, carries a more positive and equitable aspect, far greater than any other, for a profession that is always valued and cherished.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vi-sao-phu-huynh-cho-con-hoc-them-185250221115920227.htm