Private tuition in Malta : a hidden educational phenomenon revealed

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the nature and the degree of incidence of the phenomenon of private tuition among State school pupils attending Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 classes in the Primary educational sector and Form I, II, III, IV and V classes in the Secondary educational sector during the 1987 - 1988 scholastic year. In order to achieve this aim, data were collected by means of a questionnaire survey from the following sample of subjects : 2129 State school pupils, 1064 boys and 1065 girls, of which 837 were Primary school pupils and 1292 were Secondary school pupils; 911 pairs of parents of State school pupils; and 145 State school teachers, 85 males and 60 females. Results indicate that 51.9% of the Primary school pupils and 82.9% of the Secondary school pupils claim to have attended private tuition at some time during their schooling. Furthermore, 38.6% of the State school teachers involved in the study claim to have given private tuition at some period during their careers.