UK tutoring scheme uses under-18s in Sri Lanka paid as little as £1.57 an hour

Exclusive: Government suspends use of under-18s to teach English pupils after being approached about revelations

• Analysis: Tutoring scheme throws money at the private sector again

Tutors in Sri Lanka who are as young as 17 and earning as little as 1.57 an hour have been used by the government's flagship national tutoring programme to teach maths to disadvantaged primary school children in England, the Guardian has learned.

The Department for Education announced the immediate suspension of the use of under-18s as tutors for the 350m national tutoring programme (NTP) after being approached about the revelations, and pledged a review of the use of overseas-based tutors in the coming year.