Choosing a Tuition Centre: Registration, Claims, Fees, and Contracts

Q: What should a parent verify before enrolling at a tuition centre?
A: Check the centre, course, and teacher permissions that apply; remember that MOE registration is not a quality endorsement; obtain the full price and service terms in writing; test the actual class fit; and keep copies of claims, receipts, and the contract.

Last reviewed: 19 July 2026 against MOE's current private-education pages and CCCS price-transparency guidance.

1. Check the correct registration boundary

MOE says a private school offering education for 10 or more persons must register the school, courses, and permitted teachers. This includes tuition and enrichment centres teaching mainstream-school subjects.

Ask to see the MOE registration certificate and the letters permitting the relevant course and teacher. MOE also publishes a registered-private-school list.

Registration does not mean MOE endorses or accredits the quality of the centre, course, or teacher. A provider should use the wording "Registered with the Ministry of Education", not imply official approval of results or teaching quality.

The 10-person boundary also means that the centre register is not a complete directory of every freelance tutor or very small arrangement. Do not label absence from the list as illegality without checking which regulatory category applies.

2. Ask who will teach the class

Confirm the actual teacher, subject, level, class size, and replacement policy. A named lead tutor in marketing does not prove that the same person teaches every lesson.

Relevant questions include:

• Is this teacher permitted for this registered course where MOE registration applies?
• Who teaches when the named teacher is absent?
• How are questions and marked work handled?
• Can the family observe or try the actual class format?

A degree, school-teaching history, or registration can be checked as a factual credential. None automatically proves that the teaching will fit a particular student.

3. Test outcome claims before relying on them

For a pass-rate, distinction-rate, or grade-improvement claim, ask for:

• the cohort and examination year;
• the number of students in the denominator;
• whether withdrawals and incomplete students were included;
• the starting-score definition;
• whether the result was independently verified; and
• what the claim does and does not attribute to the centre.

A result can describe a selected cohort without proving that tuition caused it. Avoid treating testimonials, top-score photos, or an average improvement as a guaranteed outcome for another child.