Automatic progression is resulting in substandard student outcomes: Gounder

The automatic progression policy has resulted in students advancing without mastering key skills, leading to substandard student outcomes and to address this issue and improve education quality, a consultation is underway to reintroduce the repeat policy.

This was highlighted by General Secretary for the Fiji Teachers Union, Muniappa Gounder, during an interview with fijivillage News today.

Goundar says automatic progression does not help students who are struggling in school, nor does it support the teachers who face these challenges in the classroom.

He says the automatic progression policy, introduced by the former government, has allowed students to move on to higher grades without mastering essential skills, leaving them unprepared for future academic challenges.

He further says students who were not performing well in lower grades, particularly in literacy and numeracy were promoted without being given the chance to improve.

Goundar says for a child who may not have done well in the early primary years, giving them the opportunity to repeat a grade, along with the consent of their parents would allow them to improve significantly.

He says education is a three-legged stool, where all parties need to work together to ensure students master foundational skills.

Goundar says in secondary education, many students who progressed automatically were still struggling with basic reading and comprehension.

When asked about the options available for students who do not want to repeat after failing Year 12, Goundar says they could move on to vocational levels.

He says the ministry is working on reopening vocational schools and is also coordinating with the ministry that previously managed multicraft schools which will enable students to access the same areas and learn trades there.

Meanwhile, during Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan last week, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka highlighted that dropouts can still succeed in life and do not necessarily need to pass exams to contribute to society.

He says alternative pathways like the army, police or other fields can instill education and discipline.

Rabuka says the goal of education in Fiji should be to make individuals productive members of their community, rather than just focusing on formal qualifications.