Since 75 years research results has failed to change the practice of repetition among the educational community. Research has found grade repetition ineffective and inefficient in terms of academic and socio-emotional development of students. Furthermore repeaters tend to drop out from school earlier and may end up with behavior problems and low self-esteem. Despite strong evidence against the use of repetition majority of teachers around the world practice it, which makes the issue controversial. The reason is likely that research findings are seldom communicated with teachers and parents. As a result teachers mainly rely on their own experiences. Parents and teachers over-focus on the short term benefits of repetioin, and take repetition decisions on unjustified assumptions. Moreover, student’s vioce is largely missed in repetition decission.
In Afghanistan a seven fold increase in access to education in the last decad, put pressure on MoE in provission of quality education. Low quality education causes high drop out and repetition rates. On average, these rates are estimated to be 5 % and 19 %, respectively. However there is not much research found that gives a clear idea of repetition reasons. Besides, many studies in developing countries have shown that teachers have an important role in repetition decisions. The general aim of the study was to find whether the theoretical understanding and
practical approaches among Afghan teachers differ or are similar to the rest of the world. The particular aim was to find how teachers perceived grade repetition as an educational policy. Most finding of this study corresponds to what has been found in many other studies conducted in developing countries. The fact that teachers, although aware of the negative effects of students’ feelings and self-confidence believed in learning effects of repetition says something about teachers’ understanding of how and when learning occurs best.