In Ireland, grinds are a form of private tuition. The grinds industry in Ireland, particularly at secondary school level, acts as a supplement to other forms of schooling and is described in some sources as "shadow education". In 2012, the Revenue Commissioners launched an investigation into a perceived failure of some teachers to declare extra income from giving grinds for tax purposes. The Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland denied that this was a widespread problem.
Grind schools
Some private schools, such as Ashfield College,Grinds Ashfield College Bruce College, the Institute of Education, Leinster Senior College, and Yeats College which offer the Leaving Certificate as a single year (repeat) course, are sometimes called "grind schools".
A study in 2020 indicated the students from Irish-speaking secondary schools and grind schools had strong chances of progressing to further education but were significantly less likely to finish their course or achieve a 2:1 degree or greater compared to students from secondary schools.
A report, published in 2022 by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), indicated that increasing numbers of "well-off pupils" were undertaking private grinds to "boost Leaving Cert grades".
Online grinds During the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland, Irish schools were shut down and elements of education shifted to online channels. A number of new "online-only" grinds schools were established. The rise of online grinds represented a shift in the way such education was delivered.
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