Household private tuition remains legal under new law to take effect in May

A new law governing private tuition services will take effect in May 2023, but domestic revision groups will not be affected, the government announced in an Official Gazette entry.

Domestic revision groups, which are referred to in the law as “household-style auxiliary educational activities,” are groups convened by parents or household guardians without public enrolment and are limited to four participants. These groups will not be banned under the new law.

Should the number of participants exceed four, all participants must be residents from the same household for the revision group to remain legal.

As for services for profit, auxiliary educational services will be divided into day care services and day care plus-tuition services.

Venues with a day care services license will only be allowed to provide care services, including but not limited to catering, fetching and delivery, as well as provision of moral and social activities.

Meanwhile, the latter type of venue will be allowed to provide services mainly assisting students or service users to finish their homework or revisions.

The new law, however, will not have authority over similar services provided by a non-tertiary educational institution. Schools will be allowed to offer extracurricular tuition sessions to their students.

The new law has clarified requirements for academic qualifications. Tutors for primary and junior high students must have attained a senior high graduation at least. Those providing services to senior high students should hold a higher diploma, licentiate or associate degree at minimum.

Care service providers must at least have graduated from primary school or have finished training provided by the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ).

The new law requires service operators to purchase insurance plans. AL