ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF GRADE SKIPPING
In Ghana, Primary education lasts for 6 years, which consists of a 3-year Lower Primary phase and a 3-year Upper Primary phase. This stage of education is widely characterized by grade skipping. During primary education, the curriculum places an emphasis on reading, writing, arithmetic and the development of problem-solving abilities. Compulsory school starting ages vary a lot around the world, mainly from age 3 to 7 years, USA (5years), United Arab Emirates (4years), just to mention a few. In Ghana school starting age is 4 years and starting primary school is pegged at age 6. These days, parents will be struggling for the child to be in primary 1 by 4 years old. By 8 years, the child would have completed primary 4, expecting to proceed to primary 5. This same parent will now try to skip primary 5. Some will even insist on double promotion from primary 3 to primary 5, thereby cutting a year off, and not caring about the mental growth of the child. The parent will insist that the ...