Promotion is new school grade

I SEE THAT the Department of Education wants to extend the time period for pupils to pass Matric.

I think that they need to attend to the very beginning of school life, rather than trying to put a plaster on a gaping wound.

I assist with teaching English to Grade 1 children whose home language is Xhosa.

There are a few children in the class who are obviously unable to concentrate or learn. They are therefore not progressing as they should, and they disturb the other children in the class.

They have been put on a list to be seen by a school psychologist for assessment.

It is nearly the end of the third term and the psychologist has not yet seen them.

If I am not mistaken, this is the second year that some of them have been waiting to be assessed.

Some of these children will repeat Grade 1, but some may be promoted to Grade 2 next year.

They have not mastered the very basics of what they need to build on throughout their school career but they will be “promoted” to Grade 2.

I cannot imagine what this does to a child's selfesteem, as well as adding to the burden of the teacher who has to struggle with the behaviour of this child, the disturbance to the other children as well as trying to teach the child Grade 2 work, when he has not managed Grade 1.

I think more attention needs to be paid to teaching children the basics that they need to know so that they can build on that.

If they need special attention or special schooling, there should be a means whereby they can gain access to that.

It makes no sense to promote children to the next grade, if they have not mastered the necessary skills to pass the first year. DR CAROL SMITH Pinelands