MATHEMATICS TEACHING OUTSOURCED FROM INDIA BY LONDON SCHOOLS
Posted on: 13/Sep/2010 2:45:42 AM
A primary school in London is reportedly outsourcing teaching to India to lead mathematics lessons for 11-year-olds, because Indian tutors are more economical than the English teachers, according to The Telegraph. It reports that the Ashmount Primary school is using call centre format staff. It outsources Mathematics teaching from India. Indian sources cost them only 12 pounds an hour for each pupil, whereas a private tutor in London reportedly costs around 40 pounds an hour for the same thing. Out sourcing from India is a cost effective alternative to employing one-to-one tutors for children falling behind in the subject.
The service, run by the firm Bright Spark Education, involves each pupil logging on to a special website and talking to a tutor via a headset. The completed work is then checked remotely by the Indian teacher.
The primary school in Islington is currently using the technology with half of its final year pupils, with plans to offer it to nine and 10-year-olds. The school had been approached by the company to pilot the system.
Rebecca Stacey, assistant head teacher said that the service had made a significant difference to her pupils` grasp of Mathematics.
"We intend to roll it out so the whole of Year 6 is using it and perhaps down to Years 4 and 5. We try to keep every pupil with the same tutor. The kids really enjoy it. It is a different way of approaching the subject with children who might find it harder to engage with Mathematics," she added.
A British-based entrepreneur, Tom Hooper, who employs 100 Indian-based tutors full time, devised the system. All are
Mathematics graduates with teaching experience, and is required to undergo security checks.Although academics claimed that the move could be expanded to other schools in the county, many warned that it risked undermining teaching standards.
