The debate on the “no-detention policy” for students till Class VIII, has gained ground again with many government school students being held back in Class IX this year.
While the Directorate of Education, a body managing the government schools in Delhi, says these are the side-effects of the no-detention policy, educationists beg to differ.
Anita Rampal, a faculty member of the Department of Elementary Education, Delhi University, said: “Students not being able to pass an examination has nothing to do with the no-detention policy. This means teachers are not able to teach the students properly. Who says the no-detention policy means not assessing the students properly in lower classes? There is a well-defined provision under which students are assessed and given grades according to performance.”
“One should also see the kind of questions these students are asked in the exams. They are just forced to memorise and produce a replica on the paper,” she added.
Ms. Rampal said the government should put checks and balances in place and see if teachers are whiling away the years because there is no accountability.
Lawyer-activist Khagesh Jha questioned, “How is it that the same system is running without any problems in private schools and only government schools are having problems? It is because teachers in government schools refuse to pay attention towards teaching, when they know that there is no accountability.”
In the past, an education panel constituted by the Central Advisory Board of Education had recommended that the government review the no-detention policy. The committee had argued that automatic promotions will have an adverse impact on the performance of children.
A panel constituted by the Central Advisory Board of Education had recommended review of the no-detention policy
