Abstract:
The G.C.E.(Advanced Level) is the only exanJination in Sri Lanka that paves the way to free
higher education. Hence, this examination has become one of the most competitive examinations in
Sri Lanka. Most of the students who study for the G.C.E (A\L) examination seek the assistance of
Private tuition classes. Therefore it seems necessary to identify the interaction among the factors
that influence students in getting private tuition for the Advanced Level Subjects. Hence, this study
Was cal Tied out in order to explore the relationship between various reasons that influence students
in attending private tuition for the G.C.E.(A\L) examination. The data for this study were
collected by administering a questionnaire survey among a sample of 312 students who entered
the Physical Science stream of the University of Kelaniya in the academic year 2002/2003. The
seven influential factors that compel students in getting Private tuition for the A\L Subjects viz.
gaining additional knowledge, associating with friends, covering the entire syllabus, parental influence,
tense competition to get into a local university, attractive teaching pattern of the teacher and
association with fiancee/fiance Were Considered as variables in this study.
According to the Pearson’s chi-square test, most of the variables were found to be associated with
each other. Hence, a more advanced log-linear modeling approach Was Used to explore the
relationship between the categorical variables considered in this study. Model selection was done
using the SAS statistical package and the goodness of fit of the model was tested using Pearson’s
likelihood ratio Chi square test statistic. The best model which mostly influences students in getting
Private tuition selected by the forward step wise method that could be used to model cell counts in
terms of the associations among the variables Was found to Contain six partial associations.
According to the study it was revealed that students who participated in tuition classes mainly due
to their parents influence have done so either to have association with their fiancee /fiance or
friends. Most of the students who attended private tuition classes to have association with friends
have also taken into accountant the attractive teaching pattern of the teacher. Those students who
participated in private tuition classes in order to cover the entire syllabus have not taken in to
account the attractive teaching pattern of the teacher but however have considered the fact of
gaining additional knowledge .It was also revealed that those who attended due to tense competition
to get into a university have also considered the attractive teaching pattern of the teacher