Grade repetition is considered to be an important measure of education since it is both an outcome of a previous failure, and a predictor of subsequent failure (Anderson, Case, & Lam, 2001). Grade retention or the practice of requiring learners to repeat a grade, is used to afford underachieving learners with an opportunity to master the content of their current grade as well as acquire developmentally appropriate skills. It has, however, been a controversial issue in the sector, with some defending it as a beneficial remedial practice to improve academic performance, while others argue that it has detrimental effects (Peixoto, et al., 2016)