With the Government trying to fill the shortage of teachers with measures such as hiring retired teachers and paying overtime, many teachers consider these solutions insufficient, preferring to give private explanations instead of working overtime in public education due to the lack of adequate compensation and the bureaucracy involved.
“At the moment, it’s more worthwhile to give explanations because of the less bureaucracy involved and the fact that the price is more advantageous”, admits one of the teachers interviewed by Fixando, a local services platform.
“A first-tier teacher can earn around 1,000 euros gross per month by working 10 extra hours per week in public education. However, this amount requires additional effort that includes not only teaching hours, but also preparing classes, correcting work, among other responsibilities,” explains Alice Nunes, director of new business at Fixando, in a statement.
“Comparatively, Private tutoring offers a more cost-effective option, with greater flexibility and less bureaucratic burden“, counters Fixando, which concluded that “a teacher who dedicates himself to giving explanations 10 hours a week, in groups of two to three students, can earn up to 1,680 euros gross per month, an amount that exceeds the extra income offered by the Government for those who work extra hours in public schools.
“With the start of the school year and the continued lack of teachers in public education in Portugal, many educators are finding a more attractive source of income by giving private tutoring”, Fixando found.
According to the analysis carried out by the platform, “opThe average price of a tutoring session in September 2024 is 14 euros“, which represents “an increase compared to the 13.65 euros of the previous year”.
Obviously, prices vary significantly depending on the subject. Calculus classes cost up to 31 euros per class, while English classes can cost up to 28 euros, prices that, according to Fixando, reflect the high demand for private classes.
The platform also reveals that, this year, the number of professionals who registered to offer their tutoring services on Fixando has already increased by 14%, compared to last year.
In September 2024, the demand for tutoring grew 54% compared to the previous month, reveals Fixando, “although it is still 25% below that recorded in the same period in 2023”, it notes.
The need to improve school grades (70%), prepare for tests (13%) and learn new topics and techniques (7%) explain the demand.
According to the same survey by Fixando of teachers who give private lessons and tutoring, 31% of respondents consider that the level of preparation of students for the new school year is “bad”, with 51% pointing to the lack of teachers as one of the main problems, and 57% believing that the quality of learning is only average.
“Teachers’ testimonies highlight the widespread lack of motivation among teaching professionals, who feel that working conditions are far from ideal”, Fixando points out, reporting that several of the teachers it surveyed expressed their disbelief in the effectiveness of the measures announced by the Government to combat the lack of teachers.
One of the testimonies states that “they will not be enough because they do not combat the real problems facing teachers – the devaluation of the career and a profession that requires being far from home without any type of monetary compensation”, he explains.
“There is recurring criticism of the mismatch between school programs and students’ interests, the lack of rigor and the growing lack of interest on the part of students.. Teachers also point to the need for modernization of teaching methods and ongoing training, as well as greater financial support for this class”, warns Alice Nunes.
Source: www.jornaldenegocios.pt
