Neoliberal Governmentality and English Private Tutoring Among Rural Secondary School Students in Kazakhstan: A Quantitative Inquiry

Abstract

This article investigates the nature, effectiveness, and implications of English private tutoring (EPT) among Grade 11 students in rural Kazakhstan. Drawing on survey responses from 160 students within a larger sample of 740, the study examines participation patterns, motivations, perceived benefits, and the financial and social costs associated with tutoring. Framed through the lens of neoliberal governmentality, the analysis situates EPT within broader global discourses that construct English proficiency as a form of human capital and position educational success as the responsibility of individual learners and families. The findings show that while EPT enhances exam preparedness, confidence, and self-learning skills, its perceived effectiveness is strongly mediated by socio-demographic and economic factors. Students from households with stable parental employment and higher educational backgrounds reported greater benefits, while those from disadvantaged families experienced limited gains and heightened financial stress. The results underscore how EPT reinforces existing inequalities in rural Kazakhstan, privileging students with greater resources and constraining equitable access to higher education. The study calls for regulatory measures to ensure affordability and quality in the tutoring sector, expanded online provision to address rural–urban disparities, and policies that safeguard student well-being in increasingly competitive educational environments.