I think the popularity of the tutorial industry is largely because of the Chinese education system, which stresses listening and not asking questions.
It is not uncommon to see long queues outside tutorial centres, especially during exam season. Students rely heavily on tutors and on prepared notes, even if they are paying HK$ 500 a month per subject just to watch videos.
Tutoring is the key to success in many students' minds. I think it is wrong to simply rely on tutorials without also thinking about what we have learned.
We need to reflect on what we learn in class. Relying on tutorials hinders our development.
Lastly, learning is interactive and requires that we have initiative. It is only through searching and summarizing the material that we can be sure to have a thorough understanding.
Cheung Ying Ying (7B)
South China Morning Post ( January 14, 2009 )