Last reviewed: 24 October 2026
A good tutor can turn a child’s weak learning area into a confident one in a term. A poor fit wastes money and, worse, teaches the child that they are “bad at maths”. Under the Competency-Based Curriculum the job has also changed: a CBC tutor should help with projects and school-based assessments, not just drill past papers. This guide sets out what to look for, what to ask, and how to keep your child safe.
On this page
1. Be clear about what you need
Before you contact anyone, write down the learning area, the grade and the goal. “Grade 7 Integrated Science, struggling with practical write-ups” gets you a better match than “a science tutor”. Common goals include catching up on a weak area, preparing for KPSEA or KJSEA, keeping up with homework and projects, or stretching a strong learner. Your child’s report card and the teacher’s comments are the best starting point.
2. Qualifications and experience
Tutors in Kenya range from trained, TSC-registered teachers to university students and recent graduates. All can be good. What matters is that they know the content at your child’s level and can explain it in more than one way.
- Trained teachers know the CBC structure, the assessment rubrics and how schools mark. Ask for their TSC number if they say they are registered.
- Subject specialists, for example an engineering student for senior school Physics, may know the content deeply but need to show they can teach a younger learner.
- Early-years tutors for PP1 to Grade 3 should be patient and play-based. Reading and numeracy foundations need a different style from exam coaching.
3. Questions to ask in the first meeting
- Which grades and learning areas have you taught this year?
- How do you find out where my child is now? (A good answer: a short diagnostic task in the first session.)
- How will you help with CBC projects and school-based assessments without doing them for my child?
- How will you tell me about progress, and how often?
- What happens if a session is cancelled by either side?
- Where will lessons happen, and will an adult be at home?
4. Ask for a trial lesson
A single paid trial lesson tells you more than any CV. Watch for whether the tutor lets your child talk and try, rather than lecturing. Afterwards, ask your child two simple questions: “Did you understand more than before?” and “Would you like another lesson?”
5. Safety first, especially for home tuition
- Ask for a copy of the tutor’s national ID, and keep it.
- Hold lessons in a shared space at home, such as the sitting room, with an adult present or nearby.
- For online lessons, keep the device in a shared space and know the platform being used.
- Ask for one or two references you can call, for example a parent or a school.
- Trust your child. If they are uncomfortable, stop the lessons and ask why.
6. Agree the terms in writing
A short WhatsApp message is enough: the rate, the number of sessions per week, the length of each session, how payment works and the cancellation rule. Pay per session or per week until trust is built, not a full term in advance. Typical rates are covered in our guide to tutor rates in Kenya.
7. Check progress after four to six weeks
Look at the evidence: school assessment results in that learning area, your child’s homework, and their confidence when they talk about the subject. A good tutor will tell you honestly if things are not improving and suggest a change. If nothing has moved after six weeks, it is fine to try someone else.
Tuition is not the only option
Some gaps are best closed with regular, short practice at home. Our free CBC Challenge quizzes show which topics your child finds hard, which also gives a new tutor a head start.
Ready to look? Search by county, subject and grade on the CBC Guides tutor directory.