A kick upstairs for late starters
Education ministry restores fast track double promotion for older students
28 April, 2009 – Twenty years after being scrapped from the education system, the ministry of education is re-introducing the ‘double promotion’ programme in Bhutanese schools.
The promotion this time, however, will not be based on academic merit, but be given to students, who are late beginners, i.e., starting school at the age of eight, nine or 10. Officiating chief planning officer of education ministry, Singye Dorji, said the new system was to fast-track older students, who meet the minimum academic requirement for higher classes, so that they can cope with the higher levels according to their age.
The system was reinstated, after a World Bank study on class II and class IV showed that over-age students did worst in academic performance in their respective classes. Education officials say that this system will help reduce dropout rates, as many students left school because they could not adjust to young colleagues.
“Some children are already 8 to 10 years before they got an opportunity to go to school. With double promotion, these children can catch up with their own age group,” said Singye Dorji, adding that many students in remote Bhutan are late beginners.
Earlier, double promotion was only awarded to students excelling in academics.
The ‘promoted’ scholars will get extra care from a committee comprising the principal, teachers and parents. This committee will keep track of the child’s learning development and look for supportive mechanisms, such as extra coaching.
This system will apply especially in recently opened schools, where classes are made up of children from different age groups. This year, there will be four new primary schools, 26 extended classrooms coming up.
Source: Kuenselonline