Being participatory: employing geographic lenses to understand young people’s experiences of private supplementary tutoring in Uzbekistan

This mixed-methods study explores the experiences and perceptions of primary school students of fee-charging private supplementary tutoring (PST) in Uzbekistan. The data were collected from five mainstream schools, using a close-ended questionnaire and two participatory methods – group interviews and drawings. The study found that 574 out of 1024 students (56%) received PST, mainly to increase their knowledge in core subjects, boost their self- confidence, and accomplish their aspirations of studying/working abroad. Achieving high scores in examinations was a secondary goal for many participants because they did not have a high- stakes examination at this academic level. 286 out of 574 students (50%) reported that their private tutors were their own class teachers, which raises concerns about favouritism and coercion. The participants acted agentively by highlighting the advantages of PST. The study stresses the importance of adopting effective policies to regulate PST and using participatory research methods to capture children’s PST experiences.