Asian parents are spending billions of dollars on private tutors for their children, and the practice is growing despite doubts about its effectiveness, according to an Asian Development Bank study published Wednesday, AFP reported.

"Shadow education" is an expanding business not only in wealthy countries, but also in some of the region's poorer nations as parents try to give their children the best start in life, the study said. Nearly nine out of 10 South Korean elementary pupils receive private tutoring, while the figure for primary school children in India's West Bengal state stands at six out of 10.

The study estimated that the costs of private tutoring in South Korea were equivalent to 80 percent of government spending on public education. Japan spent $12 billion on extra teaching in 2010, while the figure for Singapore stood at US$680 million in 2008.

Extra academic work aims to help slow learners and support high achievers. Many Asian parents view it as a constructive way for adolescents to spend their spare time. However, it can also reduce the students' time for sports and other activities important for their overall development as well as cause social tensions as richer families are able to pay for better-quality tutoring, the study said.

The study calls for a review of educational systems to make such extra teaching less attractive.

(China.org.cn July 6, 2012)

法新社报道，据亚洲发展银行周三发表的研究显示，亚洲家长为孩子请家教花去亿万美元，虽然人们对家教是否有效存在质疑，但家教却越来越流行。

该研究表示，家长想给孩子们一个最佳的人生起点，因此“开小灶”的生意不仅在富国，在一些穷国也越做越大。在韩国，9/10的小学生请着家教，而在印度西孟加拉邦，小学生请家教的比例为6/10。

研究估计，韩国的请家教花费相当于政府公共教育投入的80%。2010年，日本在课外辅导上花了120亿美元；2008年，新加坡的这项花费为6.8亿美元。

课外辅导是为了帮助后进生，也是外了帮优秀生保持好成绩。在许多亚洲父母看来，这也是未成年子女度过课外时间的有益方法。然而，该研究表示，课外辅导也会削减学生全面发展所需的运动时间和其它活动时间，还会引发社会关系紧张，因为家庭越富有，就能请得起越好的家教。

该研究呼吁重新审视教学体系，从而降低课外辅导的吸引力。