The psycho-social impacts on seeking for public schools' students towards private tuition classes

Abstract

Private classes are a common phenomenon in the world. In Sri Lanka, the government has been introducing free education since 1931 and continuously providing free education to students from school to university, but the number of students seeking private classes is increasing. Most of the studies conclude that private classes do not have a significant influence on the attainment of higher education, and some scholars argue that private classes are a burden to students. On the other hand, some ideas are being put forward that private education leads students to better results. Beyond that, conditions are increasing for students to move to private classes. Based on these factors, students seek private classes. This study aims to identify that the influential Psychosocial factors of the student’s curiosity to seeking private tuition class. For this purpose, quantitative and qualitative methods were used, under the Kalmunai Education Zone, Maruthamunai was selected as a sample. In the purposive sampling technique, data collected from students who following higher studies in Arts, Science, and Mathematics in two National Schools in the Maruthamunai. Questioner method and unstructured interviews were used as data collecting techniques. Data were analyzed through content analysis and MS Excel software. The results showed that Psychosocial factors such as the attractiveness of friends, relations and neighbors, private educational institutions, the educational ambitions are playing as a major impact on student’s curiosity to seeking private tuition class. Therefore, based on the impact of such factors on the interest in private classes, there should be a focus on conducting policy classes related to private classes in the future.