Examining the nature and effectiveness of fee-free supplementary tutoring: voices of ‘Robin Hood teachers’ in Kazakhstan

Anas Hajar; Mehmet Karakus

doi:10.1080/0305764X.2025.2497942

Examining the nature and effectiveness of fee-free supplementary tutoring: voices of ‘Robin Hood teachers’ in Kazakhstan

Anas Hajar, Mehmet Karakus

Centre for Global Learning

Nazarbayev University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

This mixed-methods study investigates fee-free private tutoring offered by ‘Robin Hood teachers’ in Kazakhstan – schoolteachers who provide free tutoring to some students while charging others. Despite growing research on shadow education, little is known about the motivations behind free tutoring and its broader implications. Therefore, this study explores teachers’ motivations, professional benefits and ethical dilemmas. Data were collected through an online survey of 586 teachers from six mainstream schools and semi-structured interviews with 30 teachers. Findings reveal that 210 (35.8%) teachers offered free tutoring at some point in their careers, primarily to support disadvantaged students, gain teaching experience and meet social obligations. While free tutoring benefits students’ academic performance and social mobility, teachers noted challenges, including burnout and blurred professional boundaries. The study calls for policy interventions to integrate free tutoring into structured programmes, ensuring equity and sustainability.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	525-547
Number of pages	23
Journal	Cambridge Journal of Education
Volume	55
Issue number	4
Early online date	17 May 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2025.2497942
Publication status	Published - 2025

Bibliographical note

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any med-ium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way. The terms on which this articlehas been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.

Funding

The work was supported by the\u00A0Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education [grant number 20122022FD4117].

Funders	Funder number
Nazarbayev University	20122022FD4117
Nazarbayev University

Keywords

shadow education
fee-free supplementary tutoring
private tutoring
inequalities in education

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Education

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

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Karakus2025VoRProof, 536 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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abstract = "This mixed-methods study investigates fee-free private tutoring offered by {\textquoteleft}Robin Hood teachers{\textquoteright} in Kazakhstan – schoolteachers who provide free tutoring to some students while charging others. Despite growing research on shadow education, little is known about the motivations behind free tutoring and its broader implications. Therefore, this study explores teachers{\textquoteright} motivations, professional benefits and ethical dilemmas. Data were collected through an online survey of 586 teachers from six mainstream schools and semi-structured interviews with 30 teachers. Findings reveal that 210 (35.8%) teachers offered free tutoring at some point in their careers, primarily to support disadvantaged students, gain teaching experience and meet social obligations. While free tutoring benefits students{\textquoteright} academic performance and social mobility, teachers noted challenges, including burnout and blurred professional boundaries. The study calls for policy interventions to integrate free tutoring into structured programmes, ensuring equity and sustainability.",

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Examining the nature and effectiveness of fee-free supplementary tutoring: voices of ‘Robin Hood teachers’ in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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