The Malaysian Insight

SOME tuition centres are mulling closure despite their offers of online lessons to pupils.

Virtual classes have not been well received and even when physical classes are allowed to resume, some operators told The Malaysian Insight they doubt parents will allow their children to return because of concerns about Covid-19 transmissions.

Tuition centres have not received approval to resume operations despite the easing of other movement restrictions.

But when the green light is finally given, tuition centre operator Ken Yap feels that as many as 70% of parents will not send their children back.

Yap, who operated two tuition centres in Kota Kemuning, Selangor, for the last five years, said he is planning to close one centre because of parents’ feedback.

“I’ve talked to the parents and 70% agree that I should shut down one centre because they do not plan to send their children for tuition classes. Other parents said they will wait and see.”

Yap said during the three-month movement-control order (MCO), he had to still pay rent, utilities and salaries.

“Instead of supporting the business indefinitely, it is better to choose to end one of the centres. Perhaps later, when things return to normal, we may consider reopening.”

Yap’s centre provided online classes and investments were made to buy suitable teaching materials and to train teachers to ensure the online and offline experiences would be the same.

But it turned out that at least 10% of pupils were not willing to participate.

“It was difficult for pupils to concentrate in online lessons and parents felt the impact (of online teaching) was not that good.”

This was especially so for younger pupils, but Yap said older ones, such as secondary school pupils, took to online learning better.

When tuition classes resume, the number of pupils may not be the same as it was previously, he said.

A tuition teacher in Rawang, who gave her name as Lim, said most parents at her centre are taking a wait-and-see approach.

“My initial estimate is that less than 10% of parents are willing to send their children back,” said Lim, who owns the centre she has operated for the last four years.

“I have invested a lot of money, time and effort, and I really do not want to close the business.”

Hers is a small outfit, with more than 20 pupils. She also offered online classes during the MCO but parents were not receptive.

“Schools also have online classes, so they do not support the idea of more online classes for tuition as well.”

Lim said her income was cut drastically during the MCO and she relied on some government support through its stimulus packages, and fees from the few pupils who accepted her online tuition classes.

It remains unclear when tuition centres and classes can resume, even though form five and form six pupils are allowed to return to school today under strict health procedures. – June 24, 2020.