Wow this is a beautiful way to enjoy this weekend with a wonderful topic that focuses on the grading system. This is a critical theme that I would like to say both the pros and cons of it. It all depends on the type of educational system that a particular school want to operate. I think all the various types of grading is pretty good pending on which one the management agreed on.
Both of the systems have their own strengths and lapses. Before choosing a particular system one should understand the purpose and effectiveness and the goal which the institution intends to achieve.
Most at times what resonates in people's mind when it comes to grading is marks. A grading system is not all about marks but it also covers confidence, competition, learning habits etc. it's expedient that one digests the advantage and disadvantage in order to take decision that would keep the institution in good shape.
Let's consider the grading system using alphabet like A,B,C,D etc. Most schools like University and some others adopt this system probably based on the following factors;
Using alphabet could help to give details of a particular student's performance. It gives a good understanding of the level of academic performances of students as whether they are serious and good or not. It also spurs students to read harder. My niece last term performed extremely well compared to the previous terms. He had so many A and the least grade was C. This helped us to know the extend of his improvement in academic pursuit.
Alphabet gives vivid performance of students. Some schools used it to compare and select the best. In fact in terms of admission this plays out very well. How would you the extend of performance of students in subjects like English, mathematics etc if alphabet is not used, it would be difficult to ascertain the best. Grading will be good also for reward of excellence.
Disadvantage of alphabetical grading system is that it puts more pressure on students. Many students can be anxious and stressed because of the grades. This normally leads to unhealthy competition. I could remember when I was in secondary school, in JS3 my grade was shortage for another girl. That affected my relationship with her.
While pass or fail grading system is used to evaluate students without knowing who is the best. Even this kind of grade can easily reduce the rate of pressure on students because no one would know the exact score. I know most students would like this grading system because it will hide their weaknesses.
The disadvantage of this grading system is that it lacks detailed evaluation and students might not be motivated and it's difficult to find the distinguished students .
In reality, education should not only measure intelligence but also develop character, creativity, leadership, and practical skills. A grading system should motivate students to learn, not simply to fear failure. Therefore, whichever system is used must aim at fairness, growth, and holistic development of students.
In conclusion, Many educators believe a balanced approach works best. For example, lower educational levels may benefit from less pressure through pass/fail assessments, while higher institutions may require detailed grades for professional and academic evaluation.
