Tutoring is booming

Every second pupil needs help with learning

Primary school pupils are also increasingly in need of help.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/detailblick-foto - stock.adobe.com)

Around half of pupils in Austria have already taken advantage of private tutoring in the current school year, according to a study by the AK. Parents have to pay for external support for more than one in five children. They spend 168 million euros on this, an average of 750 euros per child.

"We can see that the need for tutoring is increasing," says Elke Larcher, education expert at the Chamber of Labor. Even at primary school age, more and more children need help with their learning. "Tutoring is no longer an exception," says Larcher.

Deficits can often be compensated for with free services such as after-school care or remedial courses, and the expansion of these options is one of the reasons for the increase. In addition, the pressure to learn has increased noticeably and expectations of pupils and parents are higher.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Adobe Stock)

But paid tutoring is also on the rise. At 22 percent, the proportion is higher than ever before. 60 percent of parents also state that tutoring is a noticeable financial burden, with almost half even having to cut back on other expenses as a result. One hour (50 minutes) of group tuition costs around 20 euros, an individual lesson costs around 40 euros and prices can vary greatly depending on the institute. Recently, the rates have not been raised so sharply, but there was a larger price jump one or two years ago. Markus Kalina from Schülerhilfe: "We only make cautious price increases, the issue is very sensitive and many people are short of money." However, Kalina does not believe that many are now turning to the black market: "On the contrary. Group lessons, which are cheaper, are in high demand, and that's what we do at the institutes."

Mathematics remains a "perennial favorite"
Pupils most frequently need tutoring in mathematics (73 percent), followed by foreign languages such as English or French, with German being the third most popular subject. Less than 10 percent are for science or business subjects. Around a third of pupils go to a learning institute and a third study with students. The rest are teachers who offer paid help on the side or older classmates. Online tutoring is also becoming increasingly popular, with 7 percent already learning virtually with a tutor. This has already become a lucrative niche for providers.

AK President Renate Anderl: "Parents and pupils must not fall by the wayside."

(Bild: krone.tv)

Once support is needed, it often extends over a longer period of time. 40 percent of parents state that their child has needed tutoring for more than a year. This is because deficits that have built up over the long term can usually only be reduced in the long term. "There are no miracle cures," emphasizes Kalina.

AK calls for more all-day schools
In order to reduce the pressure to learn, the AK is once again calling for the expansion of all-day offers and more support for financially burdened parents as well as offers for pupils during the vacations. "Without sufficient support, children from low-income families will fall by the wayside. Educational injustice must not be cemented," demands AK President Renate Anderl.