My daughter is half-Chinese and is in Primary One in a local school. She is struggling to keep up with her Cantonese, both written and spoken. Her teacher has suggested we hire a private tutor. How can I find one?
Education reporter Jill Yung responds:
The number of private tutors in Hong Kong has expanded a lot over the past 20 years.
The army of private tutors working in Hong Kong are mainly university students seeking part-time work, and retired teachers. There are also many students from secondary schools, with those from elite schools seen as being at a premium.
Private tutors offer tutorial lessons, or oversee homework, for students in groups or individually. Fees range from $50 to $200 an hour.
Sessions inevitably vary according to the needs of the students. Some tutors focus on certain subjects, while some help in all subjects. Some might be experienced in the HKCEE or A-level syllabus, while others might specialise in working with much younger children. Tutors will help with school work and exams, and often give pre-lessons on topics coming up. An increasing number are giving special tutorials on specialist subjects such as languages, arts, music and computer skills, for which they may charge more.
