Hiring a tutor in Pakistan is a market where prices range from PKR 500 to PKR 5,000 per hour and credentials vary from "science graduate" to "Cambridge examiner". Here is the 2026 parent's checklist we use ourselves — the 12 questions to ask, the red flags to avoid, and how to run a trial that reveals a tutor's real level. ## 1. Decide first: home tutoring or online? **Home tutoring** works best for: - Primary and O Level students (ages 7–15) who need supervision. - Families in Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi with easy tutor access. - Practical subjects where physical equipment matters (Art, Biology dissection). **Online tutoring** works best for: - A Level, IB and university applicants who need specialist subject expertise. - Families outside the big three cities (Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, Hyderabad). - Students juggling school + prep who need scheduling flexibility. - Access to international tutors (UK, US, Australia-based Pakistani educators). ## 2. The 12 vetting questions Ask every tutor these 12 questions before booking. A qualified tutor answers all 12 without hesitation. **Qualifications and experience** 1. **What is your specific qualification in this subject?** (Not general education — the subject.) 2. **Which exam boards have you taught?** (CIE Cambridge, Edexcel, AQA, OCR, IB — they teach differently.) 3. **How many years have you taught this exact syllabus?** 4. **What was the average grade of your students last year?** **Teaching style** 5. **What does your typical lesson structure look like?** (Warm-up, teaching, practice, review — vague answers here mean improvised lessons.) 6. **How do you handle a topic my child doesn't understand after the first explanation?** 7. **What homework do you set between sessions?** **Tracking and accountability** 8. **How do you track my child's progress across the term?** 9. **Do I receive a written report after each session?** 10. **How often do you run mock assessments?** **Logistics** 11. **What is your cancellation policy and how much notice do you require?** 12. **Do you offer a free trial class?** (Any legitimate tutor does.) ## 3. Red flags to walk away from - **No trial class offered.** Legitimate tutors are confident enough to demo. - **Cash-only, no receipts.** You need proof of payment for disputes. - **Refuses to share qualifications** or offers only a name of a university without a certificate scan. - **Quotes fees before hearing the subject and level.** Real tutors price based on complexity. - **"I teach every subject from Class 1 to A Level."** Nobody is genuinely a specialist across that range. - **Aggressive discount pressure** ("book 10 sessions today for 20% off"). - **No online presence at all.** Legitimate tutors have a LinkedIn or a listing on a verified platform. - **Poor English fluency for O/A Level tutoring.** Even for maths, exam papers are in English — your tutor needs to explain command words like "hence", "given", "state" fluently. ## 4. How to run a proper trial class A trial class is a mutual interview — you're evaluating the tutor, they're evaluating your child. Follow this structure: **Before the trial (send in advance):** - Your child's most recent test paper or school report. - The specific topics you want covered in the trial. - The exam board and syllabus code. **During the trial (60 minutes):** - **First 10 minutes**: Tutor should ask diagnostic questions about your child's current understanding. - **Middle 40 minutes**: Actual teaching of a challenging topic. - **Final 10 minutes**: Tutor should assign a short exercise and explain how they'd approach the term. **After the trial (ask your child):** - Did the tutor explain things clearly enough that you understood? - Did the tutor let you ask questions comfortably? - Would you want a second session with this person? Your child's comfort matters more than any adult impression. A tutor your child dreads meeting will produce worse results than a mediocre tutor they enjoy. ## 5. What to pay in Pakistan (2026 rates) - **Primary / Class 1–5**: PKR 800–1,500 per hour (in-person), PKR 500–1,000 online. - **Class 6–8**: PKR 1,000–2,000 in-person, PKR 800–1,500 online. - **O Level / IGCSE**: PKR 1,500–3,500 in-person, PKR 1,200–2,800 online. - **A Level / IB**: PKR 2,500–5,000 in-person, PKR 2,000–4,000 online. - **MDCAT / SAT specialists**: PKR 3,000–6,000 per hour, group cohorts PKR 8,000–15,000 per month. Prices in Islamabad and Lahore run 20–30% above Karachi and Rawalpindi. UK/US-based Pakistani tutors charge 2–3× local rates but often deliver significantly better results for A Level and university admissions. ## 6. Contracts and payment - **Always pay by bank transfer** with a receipt — never full cash advance. - **Book in monthly blocks**, not termly. This gives you an exit if the tutor underperforms. - **Agree in writing**: hourly rate, cancellation policy, holiday coverage, replacement session policy. - **Never pay more than one month in advance.** ## 7. The 30-day performance review After 30 days, ask three questions: 1. **Has my child's mock-test score improved?** If not, the tutor isn't working. 2. **Does my child understand topics they previously didn't?** Ask them to explain one. 3. **Is homework being marked and returned with useful feedback?** If any answer is no, change tutors. The Pakistani market has thousands of tutors — you never have to settle. ## What Tutoring Galaxy offers Every Tutoring Galaxy tutor is police-verified, background-checked and demo-vetted before they teach a single student. Trial classes are free, monthly billing only, and we replace any tutor within 48 hours at no cost if you're not satisfied. Book a free trial to see the difference.

Online Tutor in Pakistan: How to Vet a Home Tutor in 2026

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