Study: The transition to Estonian-language-based education has led Russian families to use the help of private tutors

Eneli Kindsiko, an expert at the Foresight Centre, said that private tutoring has become a significant part of the Estonian education system and children’s learning path. “In Estonia, 28% of parents use the help of private tutors to support their children, but differences between Estonian and Russian families are substantial,” said Kindsiko. “About one fifth of Estonian-speaking families use the help of private tutors, whereas more than half of Russian-speaking families have used such help. This indicates a growing need for support in learning the Estonian language resulting from the transition to instruction in Estonian.”

Private tutors are hired most in Ida-Viru County (46%) and Harju County (36%). Estonian-speaking families mainly seek help for studying mathematics (75%), while Russian families mostly need help with Estonian (67%).

The study shows that 41% of parents who have used the help of a private tutor turn to them due to insufficient academic support from the school. 34% of parents use the help of private tutors to support their child in preparing for exams and tests.

Kindsiko stressed that using a private tutor becomes a problem when it has to compensate for the school’s shortcomings. “If a school doesn’t have a qualified subject teacher and parents need to hire private tutors to fill educational gaps, then the private tutoring market aggravates educational inequality,” said Kindsiko. “It is primarily wealthier families who can afford the help of private tutors for their children.”

A survey conducted among parents revealed that the average hourly rate for a private tutor is up to 20–29 euros, and nearly a quarter of parents spend over 1000 euros per year to support their child’s studies.

The Foresight Centre stresses in its study that, at the same time, private tutors play an important role in the Estonian education system in supporting those who are lagging behind in their studies. They can be an effective additional resource for the system. Through the right choices and cooperation, the private tutoring market can be shaped into a strategic partner for the general education system.

The study “The Use of Private Tutors in Estonia” (in Estonian) is based on the results of the survey on the use of private tutors, commissioned by the Foresight Centre and conducted for the first time in Estonia. It provides a comprehensive overview of how widely private tutors are used in Estonia, the main reasons for their use and the results achieved. The survey, commissioned by the Foresight Centre, was conducted by Norstat. A total of 2000 parents with at least one child aged 6–19 responded to it. The survey was conducted online in Estonian and Russian. The study “The Use of Private Tutors in Estonia” is part of the Foresight Centre’s research stream “The Future for the Next Generation of Teachers”.