Primary School Grades

A report by the Education Ministry’s Statistical Office stated that in the September 2015-2016 school year, around 10,653 primary school students (1.4% of students at the primary level) were not promoted, said Rezvan Hakimzadeh, deputy head of primary education. The assessment system for primary level education has undergone changes over the years. Based on the new evaluation, students’ achievements and abilities in their report cards are not numerically recorded; instead feedbacks are described as ‘excellent’, ‘good’ and ‘can do better’, Salamat News website reported. Students who are assessed in the third category should repeat their grade. High percentage of failures occurs in the villages and most of the students who repeat a grade in primary schools are boys, the report said. Having illiterate parents and not attending preschool are two important factors contributing to poor performance of students in the first few years of primary school, say educationists.