Some weeks ago, this newspaper praised the Ministry of Education for finally drawing the line on social promotion.

Twenty-four students were to repeat year three of middle school after failing to achieve 50 percent in a proficiency exam aimed at determining whether they were ready for senior school.

At least some of the students had been given three chances to pass the exam.

The editorial also acknowledged that there had been problems when the exam was first held, on the Friday of the Annual Exhibition (typically a holiday for schoolchildren) and that the students had been led to believe that the exam was a placement exam, as opposed to a progression exam that would determine if they would move forward at all.

Now following an appeal by some of the parents, all 24 will move forward after the appeals board found the above flaws too great to accept the process.

That's too bad. Even if the process was flawed, it is difficult to believe that not one of the 24 students will not benefit from repeating a year. For reasons explained before, this need not be a shameful act. In ten years' time, no one will care.

The senior schools have now stated that they will ensure that sufficient remedial classes and support will be in place to help the students. Let's hope so. If it does not happen, then these students will drift ever further behind.

Now that the decision has been reversed, it is to be hoped that every incoming M3 student will know that this year's exam will determine if they advance to senior school.

The process has also apparently revealed disagreements between what the middle schools consider to be an acceptable standard for departure and what the senior schools consider acceptable for arrival since at least one student failed the test – and graduated with honours from middle school. Obviously something does not add up there.

So the senior schools and the middle schools will now have a chance to align their standards and expectations before the next transfer exam in April. They need to make sure it goes right next time.