WHILE some teachers and parents are against the idea of tuition centres providing tips on examination questions for a fee, Andrew Choo feels he is just adding value to his tuition-centre business.

Choo has been running the Andrew Choo Tuition Centre chain with branches in Petaling Jaya and Old Klang Road in Kuala Lumpur for the last 15 years.

"In school, teachers teach everything, and cover the whole textbook, so it is pointless for us to do the same thing.

"We add value and make it worth what parents are paying us by spotting questions. How is that wrong?"

He said his centres coached students to answer examination questions and score. And for those casting aspersions on how he got his tips, Choo said it was the oldest method in the book, adding that the trend of setting examination questions had been consistent and readable.

"Firstly, only 65 per cent of what is in textbooks come out in examinations. Of this, 35 per cent would have come out the previous year and will not be repeated.

"So we focus on the remaining 30 per cent."

As for objective-based examinations, he added that 60 per cent of what appeared in the previous year would be repeated.

"We have a panel of tutors who have been studying the trend. On top of this, the syllabus is limited.

"It's not hard to spot questions. I would be surprised if people tell me that they don't know about these realities."

He said the authorities should not limit the rights to publish past years' examination papers to certain publishers.

"They should be accessible to all so that even poor children can benefit from them."

For between RM100 and RM200 each, students can buy his mail-order examination packs, which students can get two to three weeks before the examination.

His two-or three-day seminar costs between RM140 and RM205 per student.

He said that providing these value-added services was the only way for tuition centres to remain relevant.

"We want our students to do well, only then do we get a good name."

Choo, who has been providing free examination tips on his website beginning five years ago, started offering mail-order examination tips and seminars last year.

He said there had been a 20 per cent increase in the number of those who ordered the mail packs and who attended seminars.

"Our reach in limited. We cannot advertise in the media as it's too expensive. So it's through word of mouth."