By Dr. Hanif Kanjer | Founder Director I Rustomjee Cambridge International School & Junior College
Recently, I came across a passionate post from a tutor that resonated with many in the education community. It highlighted the emotional labour, quiet dedication, and transformative impact that tutors deliver every single day—often without the recognition they deserve. I agree with much of what was said: tutoring is not “easy” work. It’s deeply human work. And in many ways, it forms the very backbone of our education system.
But since this conversation is taking place in a professional context—especially within the world of edtech—I believe it’s important to bring in a more nuanced perspective. The way tutor compensation is structured is not merely a reflection of what we value; it’s also a function of market realities, scalability limits, and economic constraints.
Let’s take a moment to unpack some of the harder truths that are often left out of the debate.
Tutoring is deeply personal. That’s its strength—and its limitation. One-on-one or small-group tutoring requires full presence, preparation, and real-time adaptation. Unlike digital content, AI, or video lectures that can serve thousands simultaneously, tutoring operates on a one-hour-in, one-hour-out basis. That model doesn’t “compound” in value or efficiency over time.
As a result, the income potential for tutors, and the margins for companies offering tutoring services, are inherently constrained.
Tutoring is one of the most accessible forms of freelance work. This opens doors for many—and that’s a good thing. But it also leads to high supply, which naturally drives prices down. This isn’t a reflection on the worth of the work. It’s simply how markets behave when demand doesn’t grow at the same pace as supply.
Effort alone, while noble, doesn’t always translate into economic leverage.
In countries like India, where educational aspirations are high but budgets are often tight, affordability becomes a key driver of pricing. Many parents deeply value education but are simply unable to pay premium tutoring fees. Platforms are caught in a bind: they’re expected to pay tutors well while keeping learning affordable.
If rates are raised significantly, a large portion of the student population is priced out. That doesn’t help students—or tutors.
Yes, some edtech companies are highly valued. But that valuation usually reflects investment in technology, infrastructure, content development, distribution, and platform scale—not profits extracted from tutors.
The truth is, tutoring services often operate on thin margins. Companies invest heavily in R&D, tech support, compliance, teacher training, and user acquisition. What remains after those costs is not as substantial as headlines may suggest.
This point is difficult but necessary. Like in any profession, not every practitioner performs equally. Some tutors are transformational. Others are average. Platforms struggle with this diversity of impact—because they need to create pricing systems that are scalable, fair, and administratively manageable.
Pay-for-performance models sound good in theory, but in practice, measuring a tutor’s long-term impact—especially across different subjects and age groups—is extremely complex.
We need to recognize educators more fully, both symbolically and financially. But let’s also be honest—this issue isn’t as simple as platforms being greedy. The challenge lies in the structure of how education is delivered at scale, and the economic tensions that come with balancing quality, reach, and affordability.
What we need is a more collaborative approach. Educators and edtech leaders must work together to create systems that are:
Sustainable in the long term
Fair to those delivering the service
Accessible to the students who need them most
Only then can we build an education ecosystem where value and values are aligned.
Thank you to the tutors, mentors, and teachers who keep us grounded in purpose. This conversation is essential—and long overdue.
Dr. Hanif Kanjer
Founder Director | Educator | Education Investor