EDUCATION: R6,600 a month to catch up: Inside SA’s costly private tutoring market
A new analysis of 750 tutoring listings shows that one-to-one matric tuition now reaches up to R750 an hour in South Africa. As schools increasingly direct struggling learners to outside help, families are left paying double for basic education while agencies take cuts of more than 50% from the tutors on the ground.
In South Africa, the cost of private tutoring for matric students has skyrocketed to R750 per hour, creating a two-tier education system where families with higher incomes can afford intensive one-on-one support, while others are left struggling. A new analysis of 750 tutoring listings between January 2025 and July 2026 reveals that the cost of private tutoring varies greatly by subject, with matric mathematics averaging R427 per hour and even reaching R750 in the highest tier.
The location of the student also impacts the price, with Johannesburg being the most expensive city at R370 per hour, followed by Cape Town at R343 and Pretoria at R334. The financial burden of these tutoring fees can be significant, with a matric pupil receiving two 1.5-hour sessions per week incurring a monthly bill of R2,300 for group tutoring, R3,660 at the median individual rate, and an eye-watering R6,600 for premium matric specialist tutoring.
Many parents, especially those whose children are facing severe classroom bullying, recovering from long illnesses, dealing with anxiety, or families relocating, turn to private tutors or online schools as a last resort to prevent further academic decline. However, the market is increasingly driven by families who cannot afford the high fees, forcing them to pay double for basic education.
The situation is exacerbated by the fact that many schools only recommend extra lessons when it's too late to address the identified gaps, leaving students and families with no affordable alternative.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
