Education minister calls for shift away from private tuition culture

Education Minister Dr Ismail Shafeeu has called for a change in the country's growing reliance on after-school private tuition, saying greater emphasis should be placed on learning in the classroom.

Speaking at a ceremony on Saturday to recognise high-achieving A-Level students, Shafeeu said the issue required national attention and described it as a discussion that had not previously been addressed openly by an education minister.

He noted that students already spend around six hours each day in school before attending private tuition for a further four to six hours after returning home.

"To be clear, students will naturally require external academic support at times. However, that assistance must be provided in a manner that does not diminish the students' own engagement with what they are taught in the classroom," he said.

The minister said students should be encouraged to pay attention during lessons and warned that spending extended hours studying after school could affect their physical and mental well-being.

He also stressed the importance of allowing students time for recreation and developing time management skills.

According to Shafeeu, students who learn independently and take an active role in their studies retain more of what they learn than those who rely heavily on others for instruction.

He called on parents and students to reconsider their dependence on private tuition and urged teachers to ensure classroom teaching meets students' learning needs.

Shafeeu said strengthening classroom instruction would help reduce reliance on private tuition, adding that failure to do so could weaken the school system and reinforce the existing tuition culture.