Trapped in tutoring cycle

Tutoring has become a primary source of income for students in Bangladesh, particularly in urban areas. With rising unemployment, many university, college, and even school students turn to tutoring as a means of survival. However, what appears to be an opportunity has become a trap-fuelled by the growing influence of so-called "tutoring media" agencies.

These platforms claim to connect guardians with suitable tutors, but in practice, they often exploit both sides. They demand exorbitant commissions-sometimes up to 90 per cent of a tutor's first-month salary-and frequently require personal documents without guarantees, raising serious concerns about data misuse. Tutors are made to conduct multiple unpaid demo classes and are judged by guardians, undermining their dignity and wasting time and resources.

Tutoring, as it stands, neither enhances a student's academic skills nor provides professional growth. Instead, it deepens the gap between public and private education and leaves many trapped in a cycle of underemployment.

Students, therefore, must set their priorities right for their future.

Ahnaf Mahian

mahian452@gmail.com