The Australian state of New South Wales is looking at ways to develop tests for selective school entry to prevent students from gaining an advantage by spending thousands of dollars on private tutoring.
An expert on education and ethnicity, Dr Christina Ho, from the University of Technology Sydney, said most of these students are from migrant families from China, South Korea, India and other countries across Asia.
The result, she said, is a “racialised” environment in which Anglo-Australian parents often feel resentful towards parents of high-achieving Asian-background students, many of whom use private tutoring.
Dr Ho said the use of tutoring was also creating sharp socio-economic divides, with only a tiny proportion of students from poorer backgrounds making it into selective schools.
The concerns about the widespread use of tutoring prompted an announcement by the New South Wales Department of Education to overhaul the entry test for its selective schools. This could involve basing entry on IQ tests that assess cognitive skills, problem-solving tasks that assess critical thinking skills, and even a portfolio of the student’s work.
The Department’s Secretary, Mr Mark Scott, revealed the proposal in a speech on July 21, noting his concern about the growing public perception that tutoring was an essential ingredient for admission to selective schools or special classes for gifted students. He said a review of selective school entry and the overall approach to educating gifted students would be completed later this year.
The tutoring industry has grown dramatically in Australia, making it harder for those who cannot afford one-on-one lessons.
The Australian Tutoring Association, the national peak body for tutors, was more cautious, saying parents were still likely to use tutors, even if it was to assist with preparing for IQ tests.
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Source: The Straits Times, 1 August 2017