Parent pays nearly $6,000 a month in tuition fees

[Jman888]

really that bad meh? the monthly amount spent is as good as somebody pay for a year!

 

just heard on radio this morning getting 'tuitor' to do homework on behlaf is common, even for assignment, uni final year project, etc.

 

wonder what Gearoil has to say on this?

 

i remember when i did my master, i was so busy that i could meet the deadline, i told my lectuerer that i can't make it and ask him to fail me, lucky the final assignment only contribute 20% which i still pass the subject. Never in my mind to engage such 'services' though i knew their existence long ago.

 

Paper qualification is so easy to come back and nothing is real on the surface nowadays.

 

 

 

Parent pays nearly $6,000 a month in tuition fees

Maureen Koh | The New Paper | Tue Mar 6 2012

 

Her son is a straight A student in a top boys' school here yet this mother spends $5,800 a month on his tuition.

 

Her son, who is in Secondary 3, attends classes for English and mathematics at a premier tuition centre in Thomson once a week - two hours per session.

 

He also takes a 21/2 hour weekly Chinese class in a popular language school.

 

And he gets one-on-one tuition - each for about two hours - for physics, chemistry and biology with a private tutor.

 

All these classes are on top of the regular supplementary lessons that his school gives.

 

Madam Irene Tan, a housewife who is in her early 40s, says: "It's money that we can afford and it's totally well-spent."

 

She agreed to this interview on condition that we do not name her only child or his school to avoid getting him into trouble.

 

She is married to a businessman and lives in a bungalow in Bukit Timah.

 

She says: "All parents just want the best for their child's education."

 

To top it off, she pays people to do her son's homework when he can't cope with the combination of school and tuition assignments. She pays $200 per hour if they have to swing by before midnight and $250 an hour when it's later.

 

Madam Tan is not the only one willing to pay through the nose for intensive tuition to help her child.

 

Mrs Pauline Soh, who has two daughters, one in Primary 4 and another in Sec 2, spends "close to $4,000" on their tuition classes.

 

Her daughters take English, mathematics and science at an elite tuition centre.

 

Her younger daughter, who is in a Gifted Education Programme primary school, also gets tuition for Higher Chinese.

 

The older girl is in an independent school.

 

Mrs Soh, 40, a civil servant, who lives in a condominium in the east says: "My husband (who is also a civil servant) and I don't have the time to coach our children."

 

She adds: "Education is an expensive affair here but the paper chase makes it necessary for us to equip our children with the best education possible."

 

Mr Frank Chan, 46, prefers to spend his money on extra tuition for his pair of twins, who are in Primary 6, than go for holidays.

 

The marketing manager, who lives in a terrace house in the east, says: "We can always go for holidays when the boys grow up. Right now, it's more important to focus on their Primary School Leaving Examination."

 

The twins have tuition in English, mathematics and second language, which cost about $2,000 per child per month.

 

This does not include fees he pays for a private music tutor.

 

In fact, primary schoolers are not the only ones getting loads of extra coaching. Some parents spend big on the little ones.

 

Madam Cathy Ho, 39, hires a private tutor to prepare her five-year-old son and six-year-old daughter for primary school.

 

She pays the tutor, who gives her children individual lessons in English and mathematics separately, for $800 a month.

 

They also take Chinese classes at a language enrichment school at $1,500 for 12 lessons for each child every three months.

 

In addition, Madam Ho's daughter takes abacus and mental calculation preparation classes at an enrichment centre. That's another $320 a month.

 

Madam Ho, a creative director, who lives in an apartment in a Jurong condominium, says: "Some of my friends have called me crazy but I don't care.

 

"When my children make it to a better school and do well, I'll be the one having the last, and best, laugh."

 

 

 

[Chewbacca]

Siao eh....

[Throttle2]

I feel very sorry for the kids.

Got no life.

The parents need to take a moment to think.

 

Education is one thing, doing well in exams is another.

 

 

[Rainbowbiatch]

isit really neccessary???

 

no life, no childhood, no friends perhaps..

[Mllcg]

paper chase..

[Jman888]

I feel very sorry for the kids.

Got no life.

The parents need to take a moment to think.

 

Education is one thing, doing well in exams is another.

 

 

you sure you are not one of the name mentioned in the article

 

actually why the reporter never go interview their kids and see how they feel?

 

remember the Tiger mum, the daughter actually appreciate her method of bringing them up

[Shull]

my friend's comment on fb pretty much sums up my thoughts on this issue:

 

...our future is doomed. expect more dumb f**ks in future...

[Jman888]

actually the mindset is the same as in the past, only different is it involve more $$ in today context.

 

先苦后甜 mean they suffer now but enjoy the fruit later.... many parents see such 'suffering' or 'torturing' is necessary in order to enjoy when they grow up to become a successful person (like lawyer, doctor or banker).

[Ender]

A friend ask me to help to freelance technical drawing for uni student. Best thing is the parent seek and engage my friend and he pass it over to me to do. And the old parent personally come over to my house to collect, the kid too busy to even to collect? That was in the late 90's already got student pay other to do assignment.

[Jamesc]

The dumber the kid

 

the more the parents have to pay.

 

Life is fair.

 

Most of the kids that get scholarship

 

have parents that are hawkers.

 

[Jman888]

A friend ask me to help to freelance technical drawing for uni student. Best thing is the parent seek and engage my friend and he pass it over to me to do. And the old parent personally come over to my house to collect, the kid too busy to even to collect? That was in the late 90's already got student pay other to do assignment.

 

 

yah, this morning the program actually mentioned many 'rich' kids will engage such service where the 'freelancer' busy doing the homework while the kids continue with their gaming or not even at home

 

all funded by the parents.

[Cars08]

The reasons why parents r so eager to give their kids a good headstart in school.... given that it is a social norm that if u do well in ur studies, it somehow guarantees u a good job n good life... Education will no longer be a cutting edge if the next 10s to 20s yrs given tat everyone is going thru the same... to make a niche out of it...u need to be even better than merely achieving grades....

[Joseph22]

The dumber the kid

 

the more the parents have to pay.

 

Life is fair.

 

Most of the kids that get scholarship

 

have parents that are hawkers.

 

hawkers earn a lot too hor. might not be in the region of the 10Ks but hardworking and good one can get 5K a month after rent.

[Shull]

The reasons why parents r so eager to give their kids a good headstart in school.... given that it is a social norm that if u do well in ur studies, it somehow guarantees u a good job n good life... Education will no longer be a cutting edge if the next 10s to 20s yrs given tat everyone is going thru the same... to make a niche out of it...u need to be even better than merely achieving grades....

 

The whole thing about homework and assignments is so that the student get to practice and apply what is learnt in schools. If not, might as well ask the tutor to do the exams for the student..

[Mllcg]

hawkers earn a lot too hor. might not be in the region of the 10Ks but hardworking and good one can get 5K a month after rent.

 

so little? u sure?

Edited March 6, 2012 by Mllcg

[Cars08]

The whole thing about homework and assignments is so that the student get to practice and apply what is learnt in schools. If not, might as well ask the tutor to do the exams for the student..

This confirm my tot abt our education system... lousy...hence why waste time on such assignments....

[Jamesc]

I never had to pay a cent for any of my kids tuition.

I helped them with their homework and they all failed.

Now they insist on doing it themselves and pass.

 

If my kids are reading actually papa purposely

put in the wrong answers. Its all part of my master

plan so that you do your own homework and learn

 

to be independent. Its bcos I love you and dun

want to spoil you that I make you wash the car, mop

the floor, take out the rubbish . . . .

 

These are things that spoilt kids never get chance of doing.

Its painful for me to make you do these things but I make

these sacrifices just for you.

 

Edited March 6, 2012 by Jamesc

[Ender]

yah, this morning the program actually mentioned many 'rich' kids will engage such service where the 'freelancer' busy doing the homework while the kids continue with their gaming or not even at home

 

all funded by the parents.

Now market rate 250/hr?? not bad.. last time is per drawing... Time to contact old friend to see got kang tao for sideline. :D