Reshma Ravishanker

While speculations are rife about the commencement of in-person classes for the upcoming academic year, Bengaluru parents are skipping admission into private tutorials, rendering them penniless.

Come April, private tutorial centres are abuzz with people and independent private tutors are hard-pressed for time. Enrolments are at their peak – with students aspiring to write board exams or face a new academic year — approaching them in large numbers. However, this year, these centres have been put through a testing time and wear a deserted look.

With the Covid-19 positivity rate in Karnataka at an all-time high of 30 percent, parents have been considering online learning platforms or skipping additional coaching altogether, rendering many tutors jobless. The smaller coaching centres particularly, offering training from pre-primary through class XII which have not made the online transformation, have been particularly affected.  

Rajiv Ranjan, owner, Brilliant Academy which offers both home tutoring and group classes said that they have not even seen 10 percent of the usual enrolments. This small percentage only comprises parents seeking online coaching which the academy is now offering.  

“April-May is when we usually see maximum admissions. This time, parents have just been focussing on the pandemic and any supplementary coaching has taken a back seat. Moreover, with board exams getting cancelled, studies are not being taken very seriously. Our future is uncertain. We can only hope for some more admission once the pandemic subsides,” said Rajiv Ranjan.

Similar is the case with tutor groups who offer one-to-one training for students at home post-school hours.

Venkat, who runs one such group, said that parents are not much concerned about the child’s learning because of the fear of pandemic currently.

“Most tuitions are suffering. We have not been able to do anything. We get most admissions in April. This time, they are almost nil. Parents seek coaching just before board exams. This year, even that has not happened,” he rued.

 While some parents expressed on social media that they would look at online learning platforms for support apart from conventional schooling, the others said that they would prefer independent tutors who can pay individual attention to their child through online coaching. Social media platforms are replete with posts from parents asking to be connected with tutors who can teach their child one-on-one.

Also read: Bengaluru parents prefer homeschooling over online classes for children