Math in primary school can be said to be very important as it is the foundational layer for students in the years to come. It is natural that parents pay more attention to helping their child perform well in exams, through means of extra private math tuition. To combat rising cost of living in Singapore, parents also need to balance financial sustainability in terms of affordability with effectiveness on outcomes delivered.
In this post, we look at some of the providers that surface in Google as affordable yet effective private tuition in Math for Primary School students and compare the pros and cons.
- Smiletutor
- Awesome home tuition
- Champion tutor
- The math lab
- Ace tutors
- Red dot tutors
- Bright tutors
- House tutor
- iMath
About SmileTutor:
SmileTutor describes itself to be the industry-leading tuition agency that delivers an unparalleled level of service. Claiming to have the industry’s most comprehensive tutor database and experienced coordinators, their services help parents, students, and tutors find each other more Efficiently, Effectively, and Easily. Their services are 100% free and they pride ourselves on successfully matching our clients with the most suitable and qualified tutors. All you have to do is fill in their simple request form.
Pros:
- Tuition rates are transparent
- Ranging from $20 to $120 per hour
- Tutors are part-time, full-time to school teachers
- Covering pre-school to tertiary education
- Home tuition, physical touch
Cons:
- Seems like it operates on a monthly basis hence there likely is a commitment of monthly tuition
- Choice of tutors will be decided by the coordinators, which means parents would not be able to browse the profile of tutors
- Might end up with a few tries/changes before finding your most suitable tutor
- Covers many subjects (focus not in Math - jack of all trades)
- Home tuition, physical touch but this also means its less affordable due to compensating tutors travel time and cost
It is a little unclear as to if agency fee will be borne by the parent as it states in one section that there are no agency fees incurred, but in the preceding section, it says that once the agency fee is paid, you may pay the tutors directly in any method preferred by both parties. With monthly commitment, affordable yet effective factor is being penalized. Choice of “matchmaking” is in the hands of the tuition coordinators. They cover many subjects, hence, quality of math tutors may not be the best.
About Awesome Home Tuition:
Awesome Home Tuition states that they have a large pool of tutors with dedication and credentials in teaching. Their tutors range from Undergraduate, Graduated to NIE Trained/Current/Former School Teachers. Also use a tuition coordinator to do “matchmaking”, acting as a middleman.
Pros:
- Tuition rates are transparent
- Ranging from $15 to $120 per hour
- Tutors are part-time, full-time to school teachers
- Covering Lower Primary to Junior College
- Home tuition, physical touch
Cons:
- Seems like it operates on a monthly basis hence there likely is a commitment of monthly tuition
- Choice of tutors will be decided by the coordinators, which means parents would not be able to browse the profile of tutors
- Might end up with a few tries/changes before finding your most suitable tutor
- Covers many subjects (focus not in Math - jack of all trades)
- Home tuition, physical touch but this also means its less affordable due to compensating tutors travel time and cost
- No free trial
- Payment required ½ of the first month fee within 48hrs before class starts
Terms and conditions dont seem friendly to consumers like parents and one cannot browse tutors, but need to base it on the tuition coordinators as well as prepayment. Such commitment would not constitute affordable private tuition as upfront monies are paid for non guaranteed lessons. Furthermore in the absence of a free trial, it throws out effective factor with the monthly commitment. Changing of tutors is also not that simple due to a human middleman process.
About ChampionTutor
They are an online tutoring platform that connects learning students to tutors through an online whiteboard system. Students can simply post a job if they are stuck with their school work or require a regular tutoring session with their tutors. Students are free to chat with their tutors online, before selecting them as the tutor. The chat can revolve around the discussion of lesson duration, start date and price.
Pros:
- Covering Lower Primary to Tertiary
- Able to chat with potential tutors before committing
- Free trial of 30 min available
- Tutors are required to have Facebook account for security verification
Cons:
- Tuition rates cannot be found on website
- Unclear if its monthly commitment
- Covers many subjects (focus not in Math - jack of all trades)
- Hourly rate charge minimally (means one better prepare enough questions for an hour and attention span)
- Online video tutoring - supposedly able to start anytime anywhere, but the available now feature shows no tutors available
Champion tutor provides online tutoring which can qualify as an affordable yet effective tuition medium. It just doesnt focus in Math but in many subjects. Free trial feature is a good supporting factor in effective factor. However tuition rates are not found on website, thus impacting affordability factor. Tutors range from Primary to Tertiary as well, so doesnt seem very specialized in just Primary School math tuition.
About The Math Lab
They are one of the providers focusing on private math tuition only. They have been around for 12 years. Fast-forward till today, they are one of the few established Math tuition centres in Singapore that focuses only on teaching Mathematics. Learning how to teach mathermatics better, more productively, more engagingly has been their mission.
Pros:
- Only focus on Math
- Parents feedback session once a month
- Centre Math classes available too ($320 to $840 per month)
- Should be effective if they have been around for 12 years and only focus on Math offering
Cons:
- Only covers Secondary students, no Primary students
- Tuition rates seems to be pricey not so affordable ranging from $320 to $1200 per month
- Monthly commitment
- One time registration fee and material fee totalling $100 SGD.
- Fees due 1 week in advance
- Fees collected on monthly basis
The Math Lab doesnt provide Primary private math tuition, only for Secondary students. Effectiveness wise for Secondary students factor would be trustable, however is not that affordable in our opinion due to the monthly commitment and upfront payment per month basis, including registration fees and their fee range for both class and home.
About Ace Tutors
They describe themselves as coordinators whom parents can trust to be professional and transparent with, and to service tutors want coordinators who provide timely and trustworthy service. Started since 2008, their goal is to make the search for ideal tutor-tutee match easier and faster.
Pros:
- Provide both home tuition and small class group tuition but at tutor’s place not in centre
- Free primary school test papers for download
- You can choose to do matching yourself or get their coordinators to match for you
- Should be effective if they have been around for 12 years and only focus on Math offering
Cons:
- Pre-school to Tertiary coverage (jack of all trades)
- All subjects even music
- Prepaid lessons basis for payment
- Commission to Ace Tutors 50% one time commission charge
- Tuition rates is based on tutors quote so can go up to as high as requested
- Monthly commitment
Ace Tutors seems to be a large matchmaking agency for parents and students in many subjects across many levels, hence focus not much specifically in Primary school students and not in Math alone. Effectiveness wise would be debatable probably some tutors are good while others are inexperienced, since they have a large pool of tutors, quality may not be so assured generically speaking. Does not seem that affordable in our opinion due to the monthly commitment and upfront payment per month basis, and quotes are up to anyone’s suggestions.
About Red Dot Tutors
Red Dot Tutors honestly states that they do not have the long history and experience of other tuition agencies. But they believe that more can be done to ensure that every student receives quality private tuition regardless of their budget or abilities.
Cons:
- Coverage from Primary to JC level (jack of all trades)
- 4 main subjects offered
- Cannot choose tutors yourself have to be dependent on their coordinators
- $25 to $120 per hour for tutors
- Monthly commitment
Red Dot Tutors is yet another a new matchmaking agency for parents and students in many subjects across many levels, hence focus not much specifically in Primary school students and not in Math alone. Effectiveness wise would be debatable, since they just started and doesnt have any testimonials to show. Does not seem that affordable in our opinion due to the monthly commitment option only available.
About Bright Tutor
They describe themselves as the leading home tuition agency for parents and students in Singapore who are looking for home tutors. Their aim is to enhance every student’s learning experience by providing the most effective and reliable home tuition in Singapore. Their tutor-matching services are 100% free and they claim to have successfully matched over 8,000 students all across Singapore with the most suitable and qualified tutors.
Pros:
- Starting from $20 per hour
Cons:
- Pre-school to Tertiary coverage (jack of all trades)
- All subjects
- Cannot choose tutors yourself have to depend on their coordination
- Prepaid lessons basis for payment
- Tuition rates $20 to $120
- Monthly commitment
Bright Tutor seems to be similar to the previous agencies mentioned above in terms of price rates, services offered and modus operandi of selecting tutors, including monthly commitment, hence impacting affordability factor. Effectiveness wise, it is not easy to gauge since there is only information about their matching of 8000 students across Singapore.
About House Tutor
They are a private home tuition agency in Singapore providing tuition in Maths, English, Physics, Chemistry and Chinese. With tuition assignments, and tutors that cover a wide range of subjects for parents to get a qualified tutor, in Singapore.
Pros:
- They have 5 featured tutors which make selection a little easier for parents, but these are new tutors (experience may not be proven so to speak)
- Can browse your own tutors
Cons:
- Pre-school to JC coverage (jack of all trades)
- All subjects even arts
- Cannot talk to tutors yourself have to go thru their channel
- Prepaid lessons basis for payment
- Their website copyright icon hasnt been updated since 2017
- Monthly commitment
House Tutor also covers widely, not purely focused in Math and Primary school students. Monthly commitment rates may not be that affordable for parents. Effectiveness wise, with many subjects and levels, not sure how curated their tutors might be.
About iMath
iMath is an online learning community focused on Mathematics. We are committed to providing on-demand help at low cost and at your convenience. We have an online community of Math enthusiasts, parents and tutors are readily available to offer the specifc help you need, wherever you are.
Pros:
- If you only have 1 or few math questions and are not in a hurry to get them answered, you can post it on our community wall and get it answered for free by other tutors
- Based on their replies you can decide then if you wish to hire them for consultation sessions
- Consultation sessions are for a minimum of 30 minutes starting from $15, no monthly commitment, pay adhoc as and when you need Math help
- Only focused in Math subject and only Math
- Now focused in Primary and Secondary Math
- Force parents and students to line up challenging questions and get them answered in 30 minutes seating online
- Saving time on travel and cost for consultation
- Can speak directly to tutors to ask about rates and free trial and qualifications etc
- No prepayment, pay upon consultation “ala carte” modus operandi
Cons:
- No home visits (this means cheaper consultations, unless physical presences is a must)
- Community wall questions may take several hours to be answered by our tutors “watching over” the wall
iMath focuses only on Math and for Primary and Secondary students. The model is to serve parents and students who do not require very long hours of consultation, yet need help on Math questions, once in a while, say per week 30minutes. If you require monthly, you may talk to the tutors and arrange monthly fixed sessions. However, the difference here is to give parents flexibility on payment commitment monthly based on their budget and means, especially during the holiday months, there is no need for tuition. iMath has MOE teachers as well and you can always test them out through a chat on the App or by posting questions on community wall and judge the replies/solution method of the teacher to help you gauge the effectiveness of the tutor. Such a manner is also more sustainable in the long run affordability wise.
The good thing is trying out one session is very affordable or cheap in the words of some parents and there is no commitment unlike traditional agencies charging a monthly fee, even if one is not satisfied with the tutor, parents still need to pay the month’s fee with the agency.
