Scrap 'no-detention', make learning fun

The parliamentary standing committee on human resource development has suggested reconsideration of the ‘no-detention’ policy in schools. The ‘no-detention’ policy, which was introduced under the Right to Education Act, provides for automatic promotion of students up to Class VIII. It was well-intended and aimed at sparing children from examination stress and the humiliation of ‘failure’ when detained in the same class. However, several studies indicate that the outcome of this liberal policy has not been positive. Learning outcomes are dismal as underscored by the non-profit NGO Pratham’s Annual Status of Education Report. ASER 2015, for instance, reveals that just 48 per cent of Class V children can read a Class II textbook and 25.3 per cent of Class III students are able to do two-digit subtractions. A section of educationists have argued that when children are assured of promotions, they have little incentive to work hard and learn in school. It is this argument that the parliamentary panel is echoing in its recommendation to the government do away with automatic promotions.

While the promise of promotion and fear of detention may prompt children to put in long hours at study, attributing poor learning outcomes to automatic promotion alone is a rather narrow way of looking at learning. Children are naturally curious and enjoy learning especially when it is stimulating. If they are not learning to read and write, there may be several reasons for this besides the ‘no-detention’ policy such as uninspiring curriculums, poor teaching and a lack of facilities at school. Re-introducing detention is not a magic wand that will improve learning in schools. While the parliamentary panel is right in calling for revisiting some of the provisions of the RTE, it needs to take a more comprehensive approach.

While the RTE does away with exams, it provides for continuous and comprehensive evaluation (CCE) of children through evaluations spread across the academic year and meant to appraise the child’s holistic development. That is, scholastic achievement as well as emotional development and extra-curricular performance. But CCEs, which are an alternative to conventional exams, are not being carried out in most government schools as teachers there do not have the skills for this form of assessment. The parliamentary panel should look into such issues as well before recommending rather simplistically a return to detention of children in schools. Positive reinforcement, not punishment, is the best way to get children to learn. Low learning outcome is worrying but we need to tackle it after understanding the problem in all its complexity.