Dr Kevin Yung from The Education University of Hong Kong was invited to visit the Centre for International Research in Supplementary Tutoring at the East China Normal University (ECNU) in July 2023. During the visit, Dr Yung met with Prof Mark Bray, Distinguished Chair Professor at ECNU and UNESCO Chair in Comparative Education, and Prof Wei Zhang, Professor at the Institute of Curriculum and Instruction at ECNU, to establish research collaboration on shadow education.
Shadow education, or the practice of private supplementary tutoring, has been a subject of increasing academic interest due to its growing prevalence and impacts on mainstream education systems worldwide. In Mainland China, this area is particularly relevant due to the current restrictions imposed by the Double Reduction Policy, which aims to alleviate academic pressure on students.
Dr Yung’s visit extended beyond academia as he was invited to visit tutorial centres in Shanghai to offer advice on how leaders of these centres can reform their curriculum and instructional practices to navigate and survive under the constraints of the Double Reduction Policy. In his interactions with the leaders of tutorial centres in Mainland China, Dr Yung gained a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by various stakeholders in the shadow education sector. These challenges range from the economic survival of tutorial centres and the professional development of tutors, to the academic aspirations of parents and the learning needs of students.
This visit has laid the foundation for a comprehensive research project that seeks to explore how shadow education can adapt and evolve in light of policy changes, as well as how it can continue to serve the educational needs of students in Mainland China and beyond.
