Should teachers recommend tuition as a form of learning support?

Singapore newspaper TODAY has recently reported that some teachers have admitted encouraging weaker students to seek private tuition. However, the Ministry of Education (MOE) Singapore, has come forward to clarify its stance.

Not only did they not support this practice, but has also said that the classification of ‘stronger’ and ‘weaker’ students into different classes should not be conducted by the school, as it is “premature and inaccurate”. Rather, teachers should provide additional support for "weaker students", such as giving them more attention in class through differentiated teaching and small group teaching, or offer them remedial or supplementary lessons after school.

However, given that a teacher typically has to handle over 5 classes at a time, would giving remedial lessons after school be too much of a commitment? On the other hand, would it be fair to other students if the teachers give more attention to only the weaker students, and not dividing his/her time evenly?

What do you think?

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