Sydney, March 15 (IANS) Schools that focus on building their students' self-esteem without setting academic goals are condemning them to failure, according to an education expert.

Attempts to boost student self-esteem by avoiding criticism and handing out unearned praise are failing some of the most vulnerable students, said Stephen Dinham of the University of Melbourne's Graduate School of Education.

"We know self-esteem does influence student achievement but, unfortunately, some schools attempt to do this in unauthentic ways, such as avoiding negative criticism and providing only 'positive reinforcement'," he told an alumni event Monday night.

"If we over-inflate student self-esteem in this manner, they will struggle when they get out into the wide world," a university statement quoted him as saying.

Dinham pointed out that schools focusing too much on 'welfare', particularly in low socio-economic areas, create a low expectations model that condemns students to low achievement.

However, schools focusing too much on the 'academic' at the expense of the personal are getting it wrong too.