Unregulated and unfair: How private tutoring is falling short for families

Australia's unregulated private tutoring industry is having a profound impact on the Australian educational landscape, potentially leaving students vulnerable by employing thousands of unqualified operators and deepening educational inequity across the country.

A new University of Sydney study examining the state of the sector is urging state governments in Australia to begin addressing the large gaps in tutoring policy. The paper is published in The Australian Educational Researcher.

The research, led by Dr. Ben Zunica and Dr. Bronwyn Reid O'Connor from the Sydney School of Education and Social Work, and Dr. Katherin Cartwright from the University of Wollongong, revealed that tutoring is now mainstream for at least 1 in 7 Australian students, but lacks effective regulations to ensure safety, quality, or fairness.

"Tutoring has grown to become a billion-dollar industry in Australia, but it lacks accreditation, enforced codes of conduct, or real protection for students," said Dr. Zunica, Lecturer in Secondary Math Education.

"Parents seeking high-quality tutors are left to navigate a marketplace where anyone can advertise services, delivered online or even in private homes, without demonstrating qualifications or accountability. Many spend tens of thousands of dollars, with little assurance of quality."

A shadow education system

The tutoring industry—known overseas as "shadow education"—has become an accepted practice worth $96 billion globally.

Tutoring has also grown steadily in Australia in response to increased competition among students, with as many as 80,000 private tutors working in 2024, many without formal teaching credentials.

The study highlights three key concerns associated with rapidly expanding and unregulated tutoring: equity, quality and safety.

"Tutoring can entrench unfairness by widening the achievement gap between high and low-income families, as socioeconomic status often determines whether parents or guardians can access tutoring for their children," said Dr. Reid O'Connor, Program Director for the Bachelor of Secondary Education.

"Yet there is mixed evidence that tutoring provides a clear academic advantage, and tutors are not consistently required to undergo background checks or child safety screening. This poses a significant risk to students in terms of child welfare combined with a lack of reassurance around quality and appropriateness of the material being taught."

"Parents should be able to verify that their chosen tutor has the academic qualifications required to carry out tutoring. Without state-based regulation, vulnerable students and families remain at risk," Dr. Reid O'Connor said.

Dr. Katherin Cartwright, Senior Lecturer in Primary Education at the University of Wollongong, said the tutoring industry has been left to regulate itself.

"While many legitimate organizations such as the Australian Tutoring Association work hard to self-regulate and support tutors in gaining qualifications, this should be the role of the government. A more systematic, nationwide approach is needed," Dr. Cartwright said.

National call to action

The researchers are calling for discussion and further research on a coordinated, evidence-based approach to tutoring regulation in Australia.

Key recommendations include:

• a national audit of the tutoring sector to understand current practices and risks
• mandatory child safety requirements, including Working With Children Checks and advertised display of credentials
• the development of accreditation pathways for tutors, such as qualified ex-teachers, who meet professional standards
• the establishment of state-government agencies to regulate and enforce educational and safety standards.

The paper argues Australia has an opportunity to lead the world in developing a fair and effective tutoring system, avoiding the experiences of other countries such as China, Japan and the U.K., where failed approaches to enforce standards drove tutors underground.

"Smart, effective regulation can protect families, improve access for disadvantaged students, and lift standards of tuition," Dr. Zunica said.

"Rather than shutting tutoring down, we should work with the industry to drive reforms and improvements. We don't allow unregistered people to teach in our classrooms, or work in a childcare center. It's time for greater oversight of our national tutoring industry."