Why is private tutoring such a big deal in Hong Kong?
With some celebrity tutors earning millions of dollars each year in fees, we chart the rise in popularity of private tutors amid a fiercely competitive race for university places
Private tutoring has long been a multimillion dollar business in Hong Kong and it is no wonder tutors market themselves aggressively to compete for students. The best-known ones are popular because of their engaging delivery in class, and also because they can get students to memorise key points, predict the trend of exam questions and demonstrate the fastest way to solve problems, among other things. In recent times, celebrity tutors have made the news for the extent they will go to, just to prove they are worth every dollar they command.
What’s the tutoring industry like in Hong Kong?
According to a survey by market research firm Ipsos in 2016, there were 3,300 schools providing tutorial courses for primary school pupils and about 2,900 schools targeting secondary school students.
Fees can range from about HK$150 to HK$200 per hour, with each class lasting for 60 to 75 minutes. Students would go for at least one tutorial class per subject each week.
However, other than regular tuition classes, some centres also offer additional special classes – called “extensive examination preparation courses”, “exclusive examination courses”, and “mock exam courses” for example.
