Automatic Promotion Practices In The First-Cycle of Primary Schools In West Gojjam Zone
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Date
2003-06
Authors
Taye, Dereje
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Abstract
The effective implementation of automatic promotion requires complementary and more
systematic changes in the schools. This study was designed to assess automatic promotion
practices in light of these requirements.
The study was conducted in 21 schools as sources of information from the four Woredas of West
Gojjam Zone. 154 teachers of the grades 1-3, 21 principals and 8 Woreda Education experts and
supervisors were taken as sources of information. The data was collected through questionnaires,
interview and observation checklist. The data obtained were analyzed mainly using percentage
and qualitative presentation.
The results of the study reveals that the awareness of teachers about the reasons behind the
introduction of automatic promotion in the schools, and about the different alternative strategies
other than retention and automatic promotion in dealing with low-performing students is low.
They also have negative attitudes towards automatic promotion. Teachers seem to know all the
implications of automatic promotion in their teaching practices. But, in practice, teachers’
utilization of continuous assessment and feedback mechanisms is poor. They are also poor in
applying different corrective measures to help low-performing students individually. There is no
any program arranged at school level to help underachievers before they promote to the next
grade. There are repeaters in the grades 1-3 while practicing automatic promotion. The main
criterion that is used in the schools to make promotion-retention decisions is attendance.
In light of these findings, it is necessary to provide schools with relevant publications on the issue
of retention versus automatic promotion and encourage teachers to conduct action research in
their respective schools. It is also important to provide teachers with continuous assessment and
promotion guides, well-developed checklists and observational techniques and alternative
materials. The involvement of parents in their children’s learning and further strengthening of the
existing self-contained classroom set up are also recommended. Finally, it is advisable to
improve teachers’ awareness and skill about all the implications of automatic promotion through
in-service courses, seminars, conferences, workshops and field-trips
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First-Cycle of Primary Schools In West Gojjam Zone