Indian students
often fare abysmally in International Tests of intelligence/ability.
Since the past 5
years schools have been promoting students up till the 8th standard,
without failing and detaining the under-performers. This decision was taken by the Government of
India vide the RTE Act, 2009.
As per the ‘No
Detention Policy’ no student will repeat a class for more than one academic
year till the eight standard.
While the
intention behind the said decision was undoubtedly noble; that of easing the
pressure on students due to the ranking system and trauma of failure, it seems
to be boomeranging indirectly on the quality of education.
Since the
students are promoted to the higher classes in spite of poor performance, they
lack incentive to study well or seriously enough. One could say that going to school is like a
breeze for students till they enter the 9th standard.
As all schools
want the coveted 100% pass results in the board exams, the under-performing
students are ‘failed’ finally in the 9th standard. This process of failure should have been done
much earlier, so that those students could’ve probably repeated a year in the
lower classes, grasped those subjects in which they were weak, again, and then
confidently moved to the next, higher class.
Thus this system of auto-promotion is flawed.
Once a student
is retained in class 9 on account of failure, he/she has the option of
repeating the class or appearing as an external student (subject to fulfilling
the requisite criteria) and clearing the tenth standard exam. Again, he has to join coaching classes for
the tenth and grasp the subjects of the higher class when he is inept at
learning the subjects of class nine!
Let’s examine
this issue from another perspective.
Won’t the student be more depressed on failing in the 9th, as
he has got used to clearing the exams of the lower classes; as a matter of
‘right’ or ‘entitlement’? Won’t he/she feel
isolated then as all his/her class-mates have progressed and he/she has been
left behind in the rat-race? Thus
students’ lives are being harmed more, by this flawed decision.
Then there’s
plight of the teachers to be considered.
They have to keep dealing with weaker students in the higher classes;
who may not be able to grasp the tougher advanced syllabus. The teachers could end up feeling frustrated
and disgruntled as they have to compulsorily promote the weak students; against
their judgment of the students’ capability or lack of it!
Some
unscrupulous teachers could also take it easy and not work harder while
teaching as they are assured that none of their students need to fail and hence
their teaching ability will also not be questioned. Their motivation to put in greater efforts in
teaching will be lessened.
When one looks
at the class-work books of students, one can spot numerous errors in spellings,
grammar, syntax and even illegible writing which is just not checked by the
concerned teachers. The students learn the same erroneous matter over 9 years,
from the 1st to the 9th, being none the wiser.
Many students have poor reading and writing
skills. I have come across 5th
standard students who are not able to even read the questions on the question
paper! How will they answer them
correctly then?
Essay-writing is another casualty as students
have not been taught to be creative in their thinking and are inept in expressing
their thoughts on any given topic effectively.
Comprehension
and language skills are not developed fully.
Thus these students have a tough time during group discussions, job
interviews and even basic interactions with others.
Schools are
primary centers of learning where one’s life is molded and nurtured. The foundation of learning and assimilation
of knowledge is laid down here. If the
foundation itself is weak and shaky, how will one have a stable future?
Hence, to sum
it up, continuous evaluation, assessment and remedial action in every grade is
essential. This system of auto-promotion must be revised after due
consultations with renowned academicians, parents’ associations, schools and
other stake-holders; to stop further damage. After all, as the wise adage goes,
“A stitch in time saves nine!”
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The copyright of this article is with Mrs.Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.
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