In a country as vanilla as Singapore’s, where we only have first-world qualms, it is no surprise that one of the most high-stakes ventures of our lives is the daunting national examinations. Our dedication to the paper chase has allowed the tuition industry to take flight here – in 2016, the tuition industry was valued at more than $1 billion a year!
Call it a case of kiasu-ism, a strong commitment to education or the highly-competitive nature of the education system, but whatever the reason, the tuition industry is here to stay. With over 600 tuition centres in Singapore (let’s not forget the private tutors) and with 7 in 10 parents opting to send their children for tuition, we check out what this uniquely Singaporean “craze” is all about.
Even choosing a tuition centre can be a tiring task, with the happy problem of having too many choices. We thought that we should organise a list of the 10 best tuition centres in Singapore, so regardless of how old your child is, or what your child needs, we have it covered for you below!
THE LEARNING LAB
At some point, when talking to the moms of your children’s best friends, you must have surely heard of The Learning Lab. The Learning Lab is the Oxford of the tuition world in Singapore – having been established for over 16 years, the results produced by them have been nothing less than stellar. From Primary School to Junior College levels, they have your child’s tuition needs covered through a variety of “games, interactive activities, videos and visually-engaging lesson materials”. If you are looking for something challenging, enriching and engaging for your child in a technologically-driven and nurturing environment, then this would be it.
ASPIRE HUB
Although Aspire Hub has been around for 17 years now, it was not only until more recently that their tuition centres began to rise in prominence. This can be attributed to their methodology in teaching – unlike most typical tuition centres, Aspire Hub rarely conducts lessons in big groups. Instead, every student is treated differently according to their learning needs, from individual learning style evaluations and diagnostic tests to personalised coaching sessions. If your child requires that extra bit of personal guidance, or needs undivided attention to clarify concepts better, Aspire Hub would be a great choice. It also helps that their tuition centres are conveniently located around the island.
JUSTEDU
A heartland name, JustEdu has been around ever since I was a child. Specialising in the three core subjects of English, Math and Science, JustEdu sticks to the tried-and-tested method of classroom tuition to recap the important lessons from school. They have a whole host of resources at their disposal, so fret not if your eager child just wants more worksheets to do! On top of that, they even offer special Robotics classes. For something accessible and affordable, yet effective, JustEdu proves to be a classroom directed at supplementing your child’s school lessons.
ECONOMICS CAFE
For the older ones taking the ever-so-stressful ‘A’ Levels, Economics Cafe is a specialised tuition centre (as the name suggests) in tackling the complexities of Economics. What makes Economics Cafe unique is the fact that there is only one tutor – you read that right! Mr. Edmund Quek is the author of several prominent Economics books, has a PhD in Economics from NUS and most importantly, is extremely passionate and dedicated towards exposing his students to Economics. Can Economics tuition get better than this?
KENT RIDGE TUTORS
A popular tuition centre, Kent Ridge Tutors has 23 centres island-wide, all easily accessible by public transport. Talk about the ease of education! They are a one-stop solution to your child’s learning and developmental needs, regardless of age, catering to the needs from toddlers to adults. Perfect for your Primary 6 child to attend PSLE preparatory classes while your newly-inducted Primary 1 goes for Speech & Drama lessons!
BRITISH COUNCIL
Want to get your English up to par? What better ways than to learn from native speakers themselves! British Council provides a comprehensive range of high-quality English classes for all ages, from pre-school to adults! They also have specific classes aimed at honing speaking and writing skills. If you are looking not just for quality English tuition, but also improving in an important life skill, then the British Council is a wonderful choice.
BERRIES
While we’re on the topic of languages, we most definitely cannot forget our mother tongues in such a cultural world. Berries is a popular Chinese tuition centre that focuses on “social interaction, instilment of values and curriculum understanding”. Focusing on the pre-school and primary levels, Berries is a great avenue for young children to develop their love and knowledge of Chinese, which will serve them well in time to come.
STALFORD LEARNING CENTRE
A relatively new entrant to the tuition scene in Singapore, Stalford has proved much with little time. Their philosophy “Your Trust, Our Mission: You’d do it better with us, than alone” has paved the way for quality tuition in conducive and mentally-stimulating environments. They have successfully guided their students to achieve outstanding results in their respective examinations. One of their specialities is the Exam Crash Courses, whereby the key concepts are condensed and packaged into effective revision bites for students to digest.
KUMON
Another household name, Kumon has been around for as long as I can remember. What makes Kumon unique is the Kumon Method, which is catered to the individual’s learning pace and capabilities. Students start at the level that they are proficient in and continue to progress steadily. This Japanese method of learning through small-step worksheets allows children to learn at their own comfortable pace and is different from conventional tuition centres, in the sense that it fosters independent learning.
THE PHYSICS CAFE
Another cafe? Well, why not! This time, The Physics Cafe specialises in JC, IP and Secondary level Physics tuition. What differentiates them are definitely the resources they have – surely nothing can beat having a lecture theatre, in-house cafe, study rooms and their very own shuttle bus. They have consistently produced stellar results at the ‘A’ and ‘O’ Level examinations respectively. With a unique approach to teaching such “dry” subjects, it is definitely worth checking out.