KUCHING: A Unesco international policy forum examined the proliferation of shadow tutoring and its implications in October.
A lecturer from the Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus represented Southeast Asia at the forum on private supplementary tutoring held at the Unesco headquarters in Paris.
The forum brought together 30 experts to examine the implications of private supplementary tutoring, also known as shadow education.
Dr. James Chun presented findings from his groundbreaking study involving over 3,500 Malaysian secondary school students, uncovering the substantial negative impact of shadow tutoring on students’ mental health.
His research showed a critical link between excessive dependence on shadow tutoring and the emergence of mental health challenges, sparking discussions on global education equity and the well-being of students.
Dr. Chun highlighted that shadow tutoring is rapidly expanding worldwide, driven by the pressure of high-stake examinations; the trend has intensified following disruptions to the global education system caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“While shadow tutoring provides opportunities for academic support, it also worsens social inequalities and poses long-term challenges to students’ well-being,” said Dr Chun.
The forum emphasised the urgent need for evidence-based interventions and balanced regulations to address the rapid growth of shadow tutoring.
Participants noted that the global market for private tutoring surpasses the annual funding required to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education in low- and lower-middle-income countries, identifying as a driver of inequality, disproportionately disadvantaging underserved communities.
Dr Chun and fellow forum participants emphasised the importance of locally tailored, inclusive policies that regulate shadow tutoring to ensure it remains educational and equitable and complements public education systems.
