We classify MOE school teachers as those who are
1. Current school teachers under MOE employment
2. Former teachers who have left the teaching service and are giving tuition full-time now
Why NIE & MOE School Teachers ? Knowledge of MOE syllabus and examiners’ psyche
School teachers as a category are most valued by parents and students for their intimate knowledge of the education syllabus and curriculum. They are also familiar with the exam marking scheme as some of them are tasked with setting school papers themselves. This familiarity may also translate into ability to spot potential questions and trends in examination papers.
Professional Educators
Having undergone training at the National Institute of Education (NIE), where they graduate with a Diploma in Education and are equipped with stronger teaching and communication ability compared with other category of tutors. Together, as a result of the above factors, makes them highly demanded by parents.
Commitment level & Price
However, some parents have feed backed that they have run into difficulties scheduling tuition with current school teachers as a result of their ongoing school commitments. It can be challenging for them to juggle both school (their students from school) and your child (private tuition). This has seen parents opting to go for former school teachers instead!
A MOE teacher does not come cheap, with primary school teachers charging a minimum of $45 per hour to $120 per hour for a junior college lecturer.
For more information on the different types of tutors and their rates, click here.
The Difference Between a trained teacher vs a tutor?
School teachers are known to charge 20% to 50% higher than other types of home tutors so that's definitely something parents should keep in mind if they're thinking about hiring one. But if their budget permits it, it will be a very good educational investment for their child. Another consideration when hiring an MOE home tutor is their limited availability. Some of them are employed as full-time teachers in school and will only have the time for home tuition sessions on weekday evenings as well as weekends. If you're after flexibility of schedule, it would be better to look for a full-time MOE home tutor. MOE home tutors are also known to have stricter teaching styles which something else that needs to be factored in.
So which types of students would benefit the most from an MOE home tutor's teaching methods? Students who learn best in structured settings would certainly appreciate the guidance of an MOE home tutor, and so would those who are goal-oriented in their studies. A student who wants to attain a certain PSLE score, for example, would find the help and expertise of an MOE home tutor invaluable. At the other end of the spectrum, students who lack discipline and are falling behind in their studies would also greatly improve under the stern but encouraging supervision of an MOE home tutor.
