A brewing educational crisis?

Despite all the policy differences in the election, there was little to distinguish between the two major parties on the subject of increasing school funding. They only differ in the extent: the incumbent administration promised a large spending increase, and the PN promised an even larger one.

On paper at least, the government has long made investing in education and training one of its top priorities. Public expenditure is above the EU average, demonstrating a strong commitment to education and training.

Smaller average class sizes and lower student-to-teacher ratios are among the factors that contribute to a high level of investment. While this may allow teachers to focus more on the needs of individual students, evidence of the effect on student performance is mixed and suggests that this allocation of resources should be carefully evaluated against other measures. For instance, investing in more high-quality professional development for teachers could help improve student achievements more efficiently and effectively.

Average levels of basic skills are low, and a large percentage of pupils fail to achieve minimum proficiency levels. Malta’s mean performance in reading, mathematics, and science is below the EU average, and the proportion of 15-year-olds underachieving in all three domains is among the highest in the EU. This necessitates the need to strengthen the quality and inclusiveness of education and skill development.

Early school leaving remains an issue and represents a serious challenge to society at large. It’s true that Malta now has one of the fastest-declining rates of early school leavers in the European Union. This positive pace has to be maintained, and to do this, we need to understand the complex reasons why early school leaving remains a formidable challenge for policymakers.

In contrast, digital education was set as a policy priority early on to sustain a strong digital economy. Schools and pupils are comparatively well equipped with ICT tools, and additional support was provided to disadvantaged pupils during the COVID-19 crisis. A comparatively high proportion of young people possess above-average basic digital skills. Yet, supporting teachers is crucial to making investment in ICT beneficial for all. There is a need to ensure that teachers have the appropriate competences so that the use of digital devices does not form a distraction for pupils and have a negative impact on their educational outcomes.

All this presents a true paradox in our educational system. More than one recent report provides grim figures about the standard of our education system. We cannot be happy about the number of students who keep failing in the core subjects, which are mandatory for all students and are taught right through the compulsory years of schooling.

Education means training for life. The main aim of education is threefold: the physical, mental, and moral development of human personality. We find a constant fall in the standard of education. There are various reasons behind the problem. Everyone is equally responsible: the government, teachers, parents, and students.

The government is indifferent to the problems. Past governments have failed to assess the real causes of educational deterioration. The education administration is slack, possibly corrupt, and rather helpless against the student community. There are no proper checks on the functioning of the educational institutions. Accountability is missing at all levels.

The parents are equally responsible for the falling standard. The home plays the most important role in shaping the thinking and character of children and youth. In fact, a mother’s lap is the first school for a child. Most parents are overly indulgent with their children. They are allowed to do as they please. Lack of proper upbringing of children is a main cause of poor discipline. Parents have no strict control over youth.

Primary schools are the nurseries of our nation. But our primary teachers are the least qualified and least paid. How can they raise a good crop? I have heard complaints that teachers do not take classes regularly; they come late and leave the classes before time. The heads are rather helpless before the political appointees.

The focus of the education policy debate must shift from how much money is spent to how it is spent. In this sense, poor management in the educational sector must be addressed. The usual complaint is a lack of logistics to help carry out the mandate of the management.

Politically-influenced educational policies must be filtered. The country needs educational policies that can help accelerate our development as a country and meet global standards, so Maltese can fit into any job globally.

The first outstanding remedy to deal with the falling standards of education is having a practical and relevant curriculum that will push our national agenda.

We need an educational plan that spans a longer period of time. An educational plan that can propel our development to a desired point in the near future, not politically driven policies that are changed or watered down when there is a change of government.

The problem of education emerged from the neglect that the sector suffered in the 1980s, leading to the gradual erosion of the system. Inadequacy of funding, lack of teaching tools and modern classrooms, poor remunerations, and the acute shortage of qualified teachers have all contributed to the fall in the standard of education in Malta.

Education is not attained by chance. It must be sought with ardour and attended to with diligence.