The ‘Tutorial’ landscape requires regulation to protect the unwary

COVID-19 continues to exert relentless chaos in, and create havoc over the lives of all of us, and it is so much worse because it is an invisible, insidious foe, but none are more disadvantaged than many parents and children. Schoolchildren are missing out on their most influential years, as the most formative relationships of their entire lives are eked out in the classroom and schoolyard. Kathryn Wentzel, a Professor in Human Development writes that, “Relationships with peers are of central importance to children throughout childhood and adolescence. They provide a source of companionship and entertainment, help in solving problems, personal validation and emotional support.” She identifies their identity development, while noting they are more engaged in, and excel at academic tasks. Now, pupil’s peer interactions and competency have always linked positively to academic achievement, where basically, “a happy child is an effective learner.” Wentzel’s life’s work has been to establish the links between personal, social and societal well-being, and academic achievement, and there has not, at least to my knowledge, been any research in rebuttal of that basic premise, and a logical extension is the absence of the schoolyard experience, and its influences, must adversely affect children’s learning. Parents know and understand this, and many are seeking, currently, a compromise, or an accommodation, through which the lack of social interaction may be alleviated, or mitigated somewhat, by hiring ‘tutors’ for their children. I have a problem with the tutorial landscape here, in that there is no regulation, quality assurance, or ethical protection. ‘Tutors’ advertise through social media and are accepted as what they say they are, and while parents may be gullible or naïve, this is exactly when they are most vulnerable. ‘Tutors’ currently, are charging RO 10-15 per hour, and getting it! Yet, many are unqualified to tutor, or unqualified to tutor in their subjects. Tales have emerged, anecdotally and on social media, of ‘tutors’ in their teens, of ‘tutors’ advertising as native speakers because they have Canada/NZ/Australian/SA/UK/USA passports, when they are not! Of ‘tutors’ without subject knowledge, and ‘tutors’ without teaching qualifications. Of course, they do get found out, but in the meantime have ‘ripped off’ their ‘pupils’ and the parents. Professionally, seeing teachers doing this ‘out of hours,’ is abhorrent, as they are probably the same ones who complain about workloads. Also, seeing ‘students teach,’ neither sounds right, nor is right! And then, of course, there are the legalities involved in, well, let us call it what it is, black market education! Most ‘tutors’ are working as sole traders, not affiliated to educational institutions, in terms of their ‘tutorials,’ are therefore working outside the terms of their visas. As such, they are also not paying taxes! Most distressing, however, is the fact that there are no protections in place, either for the ‘tutors’ or the children. There is no ‘safety in numbers’ that exist in a school environment, and there is absolutely no ethical basis for teaching in one’s own home if it is not certified as an educational establishment. Don’t think for a moment that I think all ‘tutors’ are a risk to your children. No! But educational principals and safeguards are in place to protect educators and learners alike, and one of the very first things taught in the education sector is to leave your office door open. If, as a parent, you must ask why, that naivety I referred to earlier, is alive and well. My observation, is that to protect parents and children, ‘tutors’ must be regulated by the authorities concerned, and include an authority/institutional identity card issued by an institution, or through registration as a sole-trader/cooperative business. That way qualifications, subject competency, quality assurance and ethics can all be assured. Let us protect the children first, the parents second, and the quality of their educational experiences.