As a consequence of a failed education system, as much as a EUR 100 mln yearly is spent on after-school private lessons, with some families spending a whopping EUR 600 a month on tutoring for each child.
Parents are dishing out serious money to private institutions/individuals, putting a strain on their quality of life, as the Cyprus state education system is unable to produce results.
With students resorting to private lessons to better prepare for their finals and university entry exams, while others take private lessons to improve their grades, a whole shadow industry has taken shape around the failure of state schools.
In comments to the Financial Mirror, Cyprus University professor Constantinos Christofides said that a total of EUR 80-100 mln a year is being dished out by parents to private institutions just to get their children up to speed.
He added that weaknesses in the schooling system are reflected in students’ performance and mentality once they enter universities.
According to the Inland Revenue, which keeps tabs on all registered businesses, the state collected €1.4 mln in 2018 just in taxes from registered private institutions, which indicates a huge turnover in illegal or non-registered private tuition.
Tax Officer official Sotiris Markides told Phileleftheros daily, "there is no accurate data on tax evasion, despite the fact that several complaints are being investigated".
It is an open secret that illegal institutes and moonlighting state teachers offering lessons in their homes is widespread, so one can only imagine the huge amounts of income going undeclared in this lucrative shadow industry.
The Education Ministry says it is working closely with the police on finding ways to put a stop to the phenomenon with a focus on institutions operating illegally.
The ministry appears to be particularly concerned that private lessons after school are carried out illegally by teachers employed in the state school system.
This means that state teachers are earning an undeclared and illegal second salary to teach what they should be doing in the classroom.
Current procedures see complaints filed with the Education Ministry forwarded to the police which undertakes the task of investigating the incidents and bringing perpetrators to justice, but very few cases in which teachers have paid the price with their daytime job have been made known.
Private institutions offering lessons to students, sign an agreement specifying that they do not hire educators employed in the state sector.
Some 24,000 students
Ruling party DISY MP and chair of the House Education Committee, Kyriacos Hadjiyiannis told the Financial Mirror that some 24,000 students are taking after-school private lessons.
“Many parents are working a second job, just to be able to afford to pay for their children’s private lessons,” said Hadjiyiannis.
He parliament has discussed the subject for decades and was the time for measures to be adopted so as to put an end to the phenomenon.
Hadjiyiannis suggests that tax relaxations could be given to institutions which would be passed on to families sending their kids for private tuition.
“The other measure on the table, is the abolishment of the entrance exams for universities, with students getting into universities based on their performance during the school year. That would mean less stress for the students, as they would have fewer exams to worry about and more time to study,” said Hadjiyiannis.
He said changes in the way teachers are evaluated and hired will see the quality of state education rise. “With the abolishment of the waiting list and the introduction of exams for newcomers, we will ensure that only the best teachers will be able to enter our schools, who will also be in a position to bring in fresh ideas.”
The DISY MP said that as a society, we need to reevaluate our way of thinking when it comes to choosing what to study or advising our children on the matter.
“Currently, we are sending our children off to study in fields which the economy does not need more graduates. While the economy needs graduates with technical skills we see that only 18% of students choosing to study at technical high schools, while the percentage should be nearer 50%.”
Green MP Charalambos Theopemptou said that one needs to look for the reasons why there is an industry built on the need for supplementary tutoring.
Theopemptou said that the ever-increasing number of students resorting to supplementary tutoring is a direct result of the system’s failure despite spending on education being one of the highest in the EU.
“The European Commission has said that an equivalent 6% of GDP in 2016 was spent on public education, which is well above the EU average of 4.7%. Measured as a share of total government expenditure, Cyprus spent 15.6% on education in 2016, more than any other EU country.”
Similar findings have been published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
“Cyprus has an education system with low effectiveness since spending is high but educational outcomes, that is the knowledge, skills and abilities students attain as measured are low,” reads PISA’s latest report.
Equality gap widening
Speaking of a shadow education sector which is deepening the equality gap amongst students, AKEL MP George Loukaides, said that students whose families cannot afford to send them to private lessons have fewer opportunities.
“In some cases, there are families who spend well over a EUR 1,000 a month on their child’s private lessons, especially if their child is in the senior year preparing for University entry exams. The majority of families cannot afford such budgets,” said Loukaides.
He said the shadow education sector is a clear indication of the education system’s failure. Loukaides said that corrective measures need to be taken immediately.
One such measure is the implementation of all-day schools, which should provide students with the help they need with their homework and give them time for activities which will entertain the children.
“Children should not have to study more than a few minutes a day, once they get home. Having to send children for private tuition, increases the anxiety of pupils and deprives them of other everyday-life activities necessary for their development such as playing sport and creative activities,” said Loukaides.
Commenting on the Ministry’s intention of implementing an exam system which will see students taking exams for each lesson at the end of each term, the AKEL MP said that this will only put more strain on children who are competing for a university place.
The Ministry says it is aware of the magnitude and the trend toward supplementary tutoring, with the Minister of Education Costas Chambiaouris, feeling confident that he can tackle the issue.
According to the Minister, one of the causes of shadow education was the fact that “our education system focused on providing knowledge rather than on cultivating skills.”
“In addition, the existing education system has gradually ceased to evolve in parallel with society, technology and competitive disciplines to respond effectively to the modern educational needs of young people and to society's demands.”
Chambiaouris feels that the education system needs to shift its focus to the student with the adoption of a Single Evaluation System which puts emphasis on cultivating the students’ skills rather than having students memorise information dished out at school.
In comments made to Phileleftheros, he went on the defensive over the introduction of exams at the end of each term as they will do away with midterm tests.
“Tests are to be limited to only one per subject every term. Thus, emphasis will now be on alternative assessment methods from multiple sources and with different criteria and tools.
Simply put, the student is evaluated on the basis of his / her daily activity, attendance and participation in the school unit. This way, the state school and its role are substantially upgraded."
