TUITION centres are struggling to retain pupils, as parents cut spending in the face of uncertainties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

This, coupled with difficulty adjusting to online learning and lack of infrastructure, has seen headcount drop at many tuition centres by 30% to 50%, said an association of tuition centres.

Malaysia Tuition Centres’ Association chairman Lim Seng Huat told The Malaysian Insight that dropouts are more widespread in smaller towns where access to online learning is a challenge.

Many pupils are unable to adapt and lack the self-discipline required for this method of learning, while the lack of infrastructure and devices adds to the challenge, causing them to lose interest.

“An urban area like Kuala Lumpur has better network coverage and people have the required equipment and devices.

“In small towns, tuition centres say they cannot carry out online lessons because of these challenges and have lost many pupils,” he said, putting the overall dropout figure at 30%.

With the December school holidays, more parents are expected to stop tuition lessons for their children.

Lim said at least 100 tuition centres in the Klang Valley, Johor and Penang have indicated to the association that they plan to close shop.

“We can only urge members to persevere as much as possible, with hopes that there will be light at the end of the tunnel.”

The association has submitted a memorandum to the Education Ministry appealing for expanded criteria for the government’s wage-subsidy programme for businesses, so that tuition centres can qualify.

Some owners are also finding other ways to survive the downturn.

Ken Yap Chun Keat, who has been running a tuition centre for five years, has started dabbling in food delivery and computer repair.

“I have contemplated switching careers after the pandemic, but after thinking about it, I realised that I am happier being involved in education, so I am trying my best to have multiple sources of income to survive this period.”

He originally ran two tuition centres but has closed one and turned the other into a full-fledged online learning centre.

Yap is waiting out the pandemic and will reopen the tuition centre for physical classes, as it is located near a school.

“It has a better opportunity for survival (than the other one), so I will keep it open.”

He said since going completely online, he has been able to reduce cost by 40%-50%.

With the savings, he is able to pay teachers’ salaries and even offer discounts to needy pupils.

Another tuition centre owner, Lee Shun Rong of Batu Pahat, Johor, said his centre, Shin’s Tuition, lost nearly 50% of its pupils between March and July. The movement-control order whereby schools were closed, was imposed in mid-March.

“It’s hard to keep a tuition centre running because tuition is not a necessary expenditure, and we did not get enough government assistance,” Lee said.

He has adapted by transforming his centre into a working space for teachers to record or conduct their live online lessons.

“We provide the equipment and solutions to help teachers conduct their online classes.”

In other words, said Lee, the tuition centre now serves teachers, who are its clients by paying for the use of facilities and space. This has helped the centre’s earnings after a slump from losing pupils, he added.

“The teachers also recruit their own pupils for their classes, using our facilities. In other words, they can use our centre to run their own business, and the situation is now better for everyone.” – December 11, 2020.