Novice secondary school teachers’ attitudes to shadow education in Hong Kong

Abstract

 Shadow education has been prevalent in Hong Kong since the 1990s. While much research on shadow education explored effectiveness, demand and supply, impact on students and social implications, little focused on mainstream school teachers. This study focuses on Hong Kong novice secondary school teachers. The participants of the study were with unique background. They were educated under the old 5+2+3 secondary and higher education structure which required them to take two public examinations. During their secondary school years, private tutoring has already been popular. They may have received and provided private tutoring. After they became secondary school teachers, they taught students under the new 3+3+4 secondary and higher education structure, with only one public examination. This study explores how the change in roles, from secondary school students, to private tutors and to secondary school teachers, affects the attitudes of the participants to shadow education.