Consequently, about a third of secondary school youngsters relied on private tutors - to the tune of $18.9 million a month - up 25% from 5 years ago.
Companies boast of their ability to predict test questions that give students an edge.
Competition is fierce....
Enter in the fashion designers, stylists, photographers who market the teachers!
Modern Education, one of Hong Kong's biggest tutoring businesses boast about
their English tutors - "Their long legs are the most beautiful ones in the tutorial industry." That might not mean much, depending on the competition. Attractive teachers are:
1. marketed like movie stars
2. showed off on billboards
3. given full-page newspaper ads
4. displayed in TV ads
5. put on posters in railway stations
6. goggled at on buses
7. given teams of stylists, designers and photographers
8. given personal web sites with photos and online journals
The purpose...to grab the student's...uh...attention. And then have them lose it daydreaming.
"When our rivals are equally good at predicting the exam questions, we need a new ground to outrun them," said one marketer. "And that is the tutor's appearance."
Top tutors, with more than 4000 students, can make a killing while killing themselves trying to keep up with 4000 students! 4000 students! Are they kidding?
"Tutorial centers will go nowhere as long as university certificates and exam results are the way to prove one's competence and guarantee a stable income."
I grew up too late and in the wrong country. I need to go to Hong Kong to learn something.
How about you?
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Our tutors and teachers are underpaid and over worked!
Posted by: Jim C | February 25, 2007 6:11 PM | Permalink to Comment