Perceived Impact of Supplementary Private Tutoring on Students: the case of Upper Primary School Students

Abstract

This study was aimed at assessing the perceived impact of supplementary private tutoring on upper primary school students of Ethiopia. To achieve this objective a cross-sectional survey research design was employed. Accordingly, four regions and one city administration were selected as sample regions by using simple random sampling method. Again from each region the capital town of each sample regions was selected as sample towns through purposive sampling technique. Then from each sample town three government and three private schools were selected by simple random sampling technique. Consequently, from each selected sample schools 50 percent of the students and all the teachers and the principal of the school were taken by purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected from sample students, teachers, and principals through the use of questionnaires, interview, and focus group discussion. The result reveals that the amount of money they pay is relatively big in Ethiopian context so that it is a burden for the family. On the other hand, supplementary private tutoring helps students understanding of the subject matter, provide different support and increase the self-confidence of the students, and improve students’ achievement result. Moreover, supplementary private tutoring did not consume students’ spare time, not result in social stigma of students, it is not boring, it did not requires much and extra effort, the work they do with their tutors is the same activity as they do in school and it did not confuse them.