Exploring the landscape of shadow education

Tutoring formats range from one-on-one sessions to large lecture halls with video screens. Parents and students seek this supplement to gain a competitive edge in a country where academic performance is seen as a path to future opportunities. However, concerns about the commercialization of education, unequal access based on socio-economic status, and increased academic pressure on students have made shadow education controversial.

series of articles ECNU Education Review Examines the prevalence of shadow education in different countries, the economic and cultural factors driving it, and its relationship to government policy.This article was published in ECNU Education Review.

Dr. Wei Zhang, professor at the Institute of Curriculum and Instruction at East China Normal University, said: “The range of contexts in the current collection is astonishing. Articles include a focus on high-income countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council; ”. Other articles focus on low-income groups in Myanmar and India. ”

Shadow education is particularly popular in South Korea, where approximately 80% of students from grades 1 to 12 attend private tutoring institutions known as hagwons. This issue of the review begins by exploring the history and evolution of shadow education in South Korea, with a contentious past marked by government bans in the 1980s and its survival underground until its legalization in the 2000s. I'm taking it up.

This analysis shows that shadow education has become a cultural phenomenon and remains prevalent despite strong school systems.

The second article focuses on six GCC countries where research on shadow education is limited: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. We examine the different strategies that governments in these countries employ to regulate shadow education.

In some situations, teachers may be prohibited from providing tutoring, while in others such work may be permitted under certain conditions. The article also notes how immigration is impacting the educational environment in these countries.

India, with a population of 1.4 billion, is an important market for shadow education. Unlike South Korea and the Gulf states, India is unique in that its decentralized nature of governance allows state-level authorities more freedom to set education policy. As a result, regulations on shadow education vary widely from country to country. This review discusses shadow education in the state of Maharashtra, which has a population of 124.9 million people.

This reveals that shadow education serves not only as an alternative to schooling, but also as a complement.

In the next article, we will focus on our research methodology, drawing on insights from our work in Myanmar. It emphasizes the diversity of forms of tutoring and requires a means to discern different nuances rather than a simple “yes/no” approach. This article also highlights the value of qualitative research alongside quantitative research.

In addition to tutoring offered by for-profit organizations, state grants may also be available in some situations. This is the case, for example, in Belarus. This review presents a model that combines elements of both Soviet and post-Soviet culture. This model includes regional study tours and focuses on physical training, science, and art.

In addition to academic papers, this collection also includes audio articles by the CEO of the Australian Tutoring Association (ATA). This book narrates his personal experience in providing tutoring and encouraging self-regulation within the industry.

Shadow education, which is carried out in parallel with regular school education, is increasing. This trend is influenced by the shift to online learning, cultural influences, and socio-economic conditions.

Looking back at historical trends in China, Professor Zhang said, “The government's encouragement and prohibition of tutoring by teachers opened more doors for tutoring companies, which started to boom, especially in urban areas.'' Stated.

“Advances in technology have fueled the boom, reducing travel times for customers and giving providers access to rural as well as urban areas. Demand has increased further.”

This situation suddenly changed in 2021 with the promulgation of the “double reduction” policy, which led to the closure of a large number of tutorial centres.

This multidimensional review of shadow education provides valuable insights for educators and policy makers about the factors driving shadow education and how concerns about shadow education can be addressed.