Detention policy is a double-edged sword

The scrapping of the no-detention policy in central schools is welcome as far as the underlying intent is concerned—identifying and remedying learning gaps among students.

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Multiple studies suggest that many students arrive in secondary classes without having a grasp of the basics of learning, including reading, writing and arithmetic skills. But whether holding students back—as articulated in the promoted/failed binary—is the right intervention needs to be carefully examined.