Private tutoring, as a phenomenon that occurs mainly outside of school, can be interpreted through several points of view: as a pedagogical instrument for pupils who have already experienced or think they will experience school failure; as something that helps families in "conquering" the best positions to compete in the selective process to enter a university; as an expression of the education market, in which families exercise their freedom of choice; as a phenomenon that can put external pressure on schools, namely when it is identified by its "consumers" (families) as a symptom of the reduced quality and efficiency of schools; or, on the other hand, as an ally of schools in securing better exam results, having in view the improvement of their position in the so-called school ranking. The perspective adopted notwithstanding, it seems essential to us to further explore the contours of this phenomenon, in Portugal, and in other national contexts. As a follow-up to the research on private tutoring began in 2001, which now has five consecutive years of information gatherings, carried out through a questionnaire aimed at 12th year pupils (last year of Portuguese secondary education, the school year preceding higher education entry) of four secondary schools of a city located in the Portuguese coast, which we call Aquarela City, we present here some data concerning the 2005/2006 school year.
Private tutoring; Academic success; Equity; Education market
