Recent research shows a notable pattern in how families prepare students for exams. About one in five parents, roughly 19 percent, enroll their children in tutoring that covers more than three subjects to boost performance. The findings come from a survey conducted by Aktion Education, part of the Aktion group, and confirmed by Socialbites.ca to reflect real experiences of families and educators.
The study highlights a common school policy that restricts teachers from offering tutoring. A clear majority, 81 percent of respondents, report such bans, while 19 percent say no ban exists. Despite these restrictions, around 30 percent of teachers provide private lessons. Looking at where tutoring happens, 59 percent conduct sessions at home, 28 percent teach remotely, 3 percent visit the student’s home, 6 percent use school facilities, and 4 percent use other locations.
Students can still prepare for exams at their own schools even if they do not participate in tutoring sessions with a teacher. A strong 79 percent of teachers confirm that schools offer additional classes for exam preparation, while 21 percent indicate these extra sessions are not available at their school.
As part of extracurricular efforts, 38 percent of teachers guide students for the Unified State Exam as a school activity. Nearly half, about 47 percent, provide consultation outside the regular training program. Only 15 percent include dedicated study sessions within the official study plan. In terms of compensation, 60 percent of teachers cover the costs of these extra lessons themselves, 37 percent report no remuneration, and 3 percent use other means of compensation.
Meanwhile, 61 percent of teachers believe that the school principal does not require additional lessons for final exam preparation, and most note that extra education is not specified in the job description. In contrast, 37 percent report that teachers in their Russian classrooms are subject to this requirement. A small portion, about 2 percent, indicates that extra courses were merely suggested.
Additionally, 60 percent of teachers state that students who do not receive extra lessons from a teacher are more likely to fail the exam. Forty percent attribute insufficient ability as the cause even when the student has access to a teacher, and 2 percent blame a poor teacher for not passing.
For final exam preparation, most parents opt to hire a tutor, representing 65 percent, while 25 percent rely on guidance from school staff, and 10 percent report their child is pursuing self-directed study as a preparation path.
Among parents who choose not to hire tutors, the main reasons cited are cost, perceived as too high by 32 percent, the belief that the child can handle preparation alone at 34 percent, help from others at 26 percent, and the school providing all necessary resources at 8 percent.
Almost one in five parents, about 19 percent, report tutoring the student in more than three subjects to pass the exams. Among those who rely on private instruction, 34 percent report three private teachers, 33 percent have two teachers, 14 percent use a single tutor, and the remaining share have other arrangements.
The most expensive private tutors for essential subjects include math teachers identified by 59 percent of parents, followed by foreign languages at 40 percent, Russian at 29 percent, and physics at 21 percent as notable areas where families invest more in tutoring support.
Earlier reports indicate that many Russian families spend roughly three to four hours per day on homework with their children, reflecting a broad approach to daily academic routines and practice outside formal class time.
Citation: Aktion Education; Socialbites.ca. This summary presents a consolidated view of tutoring trends, parental choices, and school policies to inform families, educators, and policymakers in Canada and the United States.