Last Saturday, there was a special report in the Straits Times on private tuition. Although it was not surprising to know that Singapore parents spend quite a bit on private tuition for their children, it still surprises me to know that this is a $820 million a year business.

With so many tuition centres scattered around Singapore, how can tell which of them is really good? Do they provide a conducive learning environment? Are the tutors patient enough to teach your children? Well, these are but some of common questions any parent have when they are looking for the right tuition centres in Singapore.

If you are a parent looking for the right tuition centre for your child, here are some tips to help you get started.

1) What sort of help does your child need?
Before signing up with any tuition centre, sit down with your child and find out exactly the kind of help that your child needs.

• does he/she require someone to explain difficult concepts or go through concepts which he/she is still unclear of, or
• does he/she lack exam confidence, or
• does he/she need someone to monitor his/her progress closely?

Having a clear understanding of the needs of your child will ensure that the proper help can be sought. When in doubt, you may want to consult your child’s teachers in school. They would be able to pin point what your child require.

2) Determine the type of students that the tuition centre focus on
Knowing what your child needs, you can then approach tuition centres with clarity. Different tuition centres have different strengths and may focus on different students’ needs. Select one that best meet the needs of your child.

To help you with this, here are some questions you may want to ask the tuition centre:

- Do your tutors monitor the progress of the students?
Good tutors from reputable centres often ask their students for any feedback and pay close attention to the students’ progress. They may exhibit greater responsibility and willingness to help their students.

Most of the time, it is very hard for students to learn alone. If the tutor can help the student locate the problem areas, students can then solve the problems faster and proceed to the next level.

- What are the qualifications of your tutors?
As parents, you must be very comfortable with the tutor whom you are going to entrust your child to learn from. This is crucial as the final grade of your kids depends greatly on the tutor-in-charge. Tutors in Singapore who were former teachers should at least have a teaching diploma from NIE. It is important as teachers/tutors with the right certificate are well-trained to handle studies for students. You may also want to check if the tutor is a full timer or part timer.

- Does your tuition centre help to revise the exam papers?
In order to help your child develop more confidence on handling examinations, you can ask the teachers or tutors how they offer to help their students prepare for these exams. As a matter of fact, students who have done very well in their studies are the ones who are well-aware with the exam syllabus. They must be very confident to complete every exam paper within the time limit. Call it exam smart but this can really make a difference in exams.

3) Is the tuition centre near your house?
To some parents, this is not an issue if they are able to ferry their children for their lessons. But for the rest, I would strongly suggest that you choose one near your home so that your child saves on the travelling time. This will give him/her the much needed time to do revisions for his/her homework.

Whichever  tuition centre you have chosen, do ensure that you continue to monitor the progress and behaviour of your child. Your child may react negatively if the culture or workings of the tuition centre does not meet your child’s needs.