In this website, 'make-up class' refers to the sessions provided by tutoring centers for students who have missed classes due to various reasons, aiming to prevent parents from seeking refunds and helping students catch up. Make-up classes can be classified into group make-up classes and individual make-up classes. Group make-up classes are scheduled by the teacher for students to attend together; individual make-up classes are when students attend tutoring sessions according to their own schedules.
Make-up classes are a common phenomenon in the education systems of various regions in Asia (such as Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea), where examination-oriented education prevails, and examination pressure is significant. To complete the curriculum and enhance practice for university entrance, some schools often utilize holidays for classes, particularly common for classes preparing for public examinations. In certain areas, make-up classes have even begun as early as junior high, elementary, and kindergarten levels, where teachers may also allocate time originally set for non-academic subjects such as music, physical education, and art for academic make-up classes.
There are two main reasons for make-up classes: one is due to absence, and the other is to achieve better grades. The reasons for student absences can vary, and these should not be caused by human factors or the subjective elements of the students themselves, teachers, or schools. During the developmental stage of students, various factors can lead to illness, which is something people try to avoid but sometimes happens. Students may also miss classes due to personal or family issues, such as having to care for a sick family member. It is also common for schools to organize participation in public service activities that interfere with regular learning, such as artistic or celebration activities.
When students miss classes, they need to make up for it promptly. There are various ways to conduct make-up classes: one is self-study by the student. Another is for classmates to assist each other during breaks. Additionally, the subject teacher may find time to conduct make-up classes for absent students. However, many high schools and junior high schools in China have an unwritten rule that classes must be held on Saturdays, and make-up classes are organized during public holidays. This abnormal development contradicts the basic forms of make-up classes and is a vicious cycle that needs improvement. The forms of make-up classes can be classified into make-up classes conducted by school teachers and off-campus tutoring; one-on-one make-up classes and group format make-up classes; students attending tutoring centers for make-up classes or teachers going to students' homes for make-up classes, offering diverse formats.
For many years in China, make-up classes have traditionally been free of charge; this was a way for teachers to help students catch up on missed coursework and prevent them from falling behind or having to repeat a grade. However, influenced by the trend of educational "industrialization" and market economy, a more common problem has emerged: paid make-up classes. Paid make-up classes can be classified into two types: one is organized collectively by schools. The other is for subjects with high-stakes examinations, where teachers responsible for teaching the third-year high school or third-year junior high school students conduct paid make-up classes for children of parents who have higher expectations for examination results. These make-up classes are typically paid and can be quite expensive. This has led to societal skepticism and disdain towards the so-called "engineers of human souls" image of schools and teachers.
蘊藏許多助人的知識與智慧。