Touting tuition services outside schools is 'not healthy', MOE looking into matter: Gan Siow Huang

The Ministry of Education (MOE) does not support "undesirable advertising practices" used by tuition centres to unduly induce parents to sign their children up for tuition, said Minister of State for Education Gan Siow Huang in parliament on Feb. 4.

Gan was responding to an anecdote shared by Bukit Panjang SMC Member of Parliament (MP) Liang Eng Hwa about tuition flyers being distributed outside a primary school on Jan. 2, 2025, the first day of school.

Tuition flyers distributed outside school on first day of P1

Liang said he was chatting with some parents outside a primary school in his constituency on Jan. 2, when he saw a couple distributing flyers advertising a tuition service.

Liang said he felt "troubled" that this was being done on the first day of school for Primary 1 students.

He told the couple that he did not think it was good to create "unnecessary competition" and stress for parents and P1 students.

"I also told them that perhaps later, if the students do have some weaker subjects and areas they need to improve upon, perhaps they may need some tuition, but I still believe the school is capable of helping out the weaker students."

The couple left after hearing Liang's remarks.

Liang asked if MOE has any standing orders to advise tuition centres not to advertise their services outside schools.

MOE does not support such practices

According to Gan, MOE is aware that some tuition centres employ undesirable advertising practices that appeal to parents' anxieties and their fear of missing out (FOMO).

She emphasised that the ministry does not support such practices.

"We think that it unduly induces parents to sign up their children for tuition, and that is not healthy. Our schools certainly do not support such practices," said Gan.

Gan added that the ministry is studying how they can discourage such practices among tuition centres, and reviewing their processes with regard to the matter.

@mothershipsg Minister of State for the Ministry of Education Gan Siow Huang responded to Liang Eng Hwa in Parliament on Feb. 5. #sgnews #tuition #students #school ♬ original sound - Mothership

Does MOE push students at a young age?

On the matter of competition at a young age, Nee Soon GRC MP Carrie Tan shared that some parents told her that as early as the third week of school, their P1 children were identified to be weaker in particular subjects and needed additional support.

Tan questioned if MOE was sending the signal that they want students to "perform better" or to "catch up" even at a young age.

She asked if MOE would review their curriculum to ascertain if such an "intensified learning pace" is necessary.

In response, Gan clarified that such specialised academic intervention programmes are intended to help primary school students who require more support in foundational skills, such as reading, numeracy, communication and life skills.

She said that when teachers identify that certain children appear to be "weaker" or "falling behind" in these skills, they will try to work together with parents to support the students' learning.

Gan added that such programmes have shown good outcomes in building up the confidence of students, especially those from lower-income households.

She said these typically involve fewer students, and are carried out with the consent and partnership of parents.

"It is not in any way intended to ask the parents to send their children for more tuition. If anything, it is to raise the awareness of parents, so that more can be done early to support learning and to set our children up well for the longer term," said Gan.

Gan also emphasised MOE's approach towards education at a young age:

"I think it's important that we recognise that learning is for life and that it doesn't help if we rush through the learning only in the first few years of a child's life. It has to be a continuous journey."

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