Should a child be detained in a class or promoted

By Madhurie Singh, June 11, 2015

Nursery kid has to appear for a retest and then since he does not pass the test, he is detained in the previous class to repeat it one more year.

Most of the parents will protest this move by the school. Yet, I find that this move is actually the is the need of the hour whether the parents like it or not. Not that the school can be absolved of any wrong doing.

So lets analyze this situation and ensure you do not get into this turmoil ever.

School conducts a retest for a Nursery class student 

Why would a school go through the hassle of re conducting any assessment? If only you understand this it will make your life easier.

Nursery class is the starting of the educational steps that your child has to climb year after year.

So if this step is weak, do you think the child who has struggled to climb the step 2 will be confident? I doubt. This child will still lack the basics of whatever he was supposed to learn in the Nursery class and on top of it he will have to learn the additional things in new class which definitely will be tougher.

So as a school it makes sense to make the child repeat the Nursery class and build as strong base for all future classes. Else the class teachers will have to struggle until class 9 when he reaches there with not much knowledge.

This is a very faulty ruling of RTE (Right To Education). The intention of RTE is great but the implementation is wrong. The ministry wants to ensure that all children pass upto class 8 and be educated. But who is ensuring that are actually learning what they ought to be? Children are going to the next class year after year with no check on how and where they lack the understanding of the subjects taught per class.

So when this child reaches class 9, he will not be allowed to study as the basic knowledge is not upto the mark. 

Coming to class 9 and failing or repeating class 8 is no joke. Class 8 children are teenagers who will be going through a different set of problems. Add to this the stamp of being a detained student will crush his confidence and self respect. But by then its too late.

Schools have to send pass report to the board once children go to class 9. Now, obviously no school will be interested in declaring that there is a child who has to be detained year after year in class 8. So its better to take the right step when the child is in Nursery.

Is the school at fault?

You bet. The fact that they took one year to come to this conclusion that the child will be repeating the class is the result of their faulty assessment process. They should have taken the assessment right after 3rd month and addressed the child's parent to ensure either repeating or readmission next year.

Are the parents at fault?

Largely. They are the ones who were unaware of their child' progress to wake up when things can not be undone.

Most probably the child's age could be at fault too. There are children who take time to learn. These kids need to be in the classes where they fit best. 

Or may be the child is youngest in the class! Obviously then his brain development is also one year slower that the other children in his class who may be 6 to 12 months older to him. In the younger years, every one month matters a lot.

And I am aghast when parents write to me that "My child will lose one year because he/she is 1 day or one month short of the age criteria for admission!" 

Please read this article to know what is the right age to go to classes

Read this article to know milestone that your child should have completed by a particular age. If your child fits into the category of the activities then he/she is fit for the class or not.

 

Hutching’s school withholds promotion and re-examines student amid confusion over pre-primary ambit, drawing parents’ ire

Source: Nursery kid in retest dilemma – Pune Mirror

I have a story to share around this.. i have 2 daughters. When elder one was in one of the pretigious school of Noida in Nursery class, she was not able to cope up and we were regualry called for session , the reason was she was the yougest in class. Eventually, after final SEM, school authorities called us that they are promoting but we need to take care of. But we realised, that it is not because of their fault who were putting in efforts or noteven our fault , it was just because of age. I wrote a letter/mail to principal that we as parent want her to repeat the class with justificaiton that her grassroots will become stronger and avoid being harrassed at later class. She accepted and now my daugher is above average student of Class 1 in a different school (we got transferred to Lucknow). Now in lucknow I am facing similar problem with my younger daugher in Nursery....but in this case they are saying that they would like her to repeat her class... but I find their fault as my younger one is bright but a little naughty and do not want to go to school. The school authority is not taking pain to cover the course when she is a little irregular, rather they scolded her mother too badly that she is not taking care of her. I wasnt pleased hearing this as I do not want to force school... she should enjoying going school.. I feel they are not able to take special care of few such students. What should we do ?

Dear Ravi,

You have only two daughters and you claim that your daughter is naughty and irregular to her school.

My advice is to look into the reasons, as a school teacher not as a parent. How would you tackle this situation if a few students were irregular always and plus  not paying attention. 

There could be a chance that because your daughter is missing classes, she is unable to understand the topic in the class, hence she is distracted. And as she is not paying attention to class now, she is free to do whatever she wants to do. So she finds something that she likes to do. It is not being naughty but only doing what she likes, can be distracting.

So the best solution is to start making your daughter attend school regularly. If she bunks, then it is your duty to ensure that whatever she missed is taught at home. Do not depend on the teachers always. They have too much to handle. Also try to understand that there is a best school for each child which may be different for each sibling in a family. So first find a school where your younger one will fit and then move your older one.

That is why finding the best match is more important than going to a school that is branded or everyone else has been going to.

I find their fault as my younger one is bright but a little naughty and do not want to go to school. The school authority is not taking pain to cover the course when she is a little irregular, rather they scolded her mother too badly that she is not taking care of her. I wasnt pleased hearing this as I do not want to force school… she should enjoying going school.. I feel they are not able to take special care of few such students.

Login is required