Unqualified ‘cowboy’ tutors disrupting education and putting kids at risk

Tutoring is booming in Australia, but the unregulated industry is disrupting the education system and putting kids at risk.

Untrained tutors are coaching students in the wrong curriculum and making unverified claims about their qualifications, and some don’t even have working with children qualifications.

CEO of the Australian Tutoring Association, Mohan Dhall, said the tutoring industry desperately needs regulation.

“It’s time for the industry to be licenced,” he told 3AW’s Kate and Quarters.

“Any individual with any qualification or not can set themselves up and advertise as a tutor.

“They can make any claims they like.

“Many of them won’t even have a working with children check because they know there’s no one there to watch what they’re doing!”

But parents are demanding tutors more than ever.

“The problem is that as it’s growing, schools aren’t acknowledging that it’s growing,” Mr Dhall said.

“Parents are feeling like they have to have it in order for their children to have any chance at school.”

Mr Dhall said Australia is heading towards a model where almost all students are tutored, but unregulated tutoring won’t necessarily deliver results.

“For some reason everyone finds it valuable but there aren’t standards around it and there aren’t basic protections for kids,” he said.

“Do we really want to copy a situation where 95 per cent of kids in Singapore are getting tutored, and it’s the only way to get through school?”

Press PLAY below for more.

 

Image: Pattanaphong Khuankaew / EyeEm