Are there educational and psychological benefits from private supplementary tutoring in Mainland China? Evidence from the China Education Panel Survey, 2013–15

Abstract

We investigate the educational and psychological benefits from participating in private supplementary tutoring in Mainland China. We use the 2013–2015 China Education Panel Survey data on junior high school students and a difference-in-difference and propensity score matching research design. Our results show that private tutoring is positively associated with higher English scores for rural students only. For all students and across most sub-groups, we find that private tutoring is associated with lower frequency of students' self-reported negative emotions. The data, however, do not permit deeper inquiry into the role of the quality and quantity of private tutoring.