Setting up of a study consolidation centre

There's no denying that private tuition has become an integral part of Maltese education. A great number of concerned parents are prepared to make any effort to ensure their offspring's success at school.

It is important to note here that 'success at school' is largely measured by the acquisition of the maximum number of academic qualifications possible, which are considered indispensable to secure a 'good' job and achieve social status.

Education in Malta has become a factory manufacturing students who are little more than human databases of facts and figures to be regurgitated during examinations.

Whether parents are dissatisfied with their children's schooling (justified or otherwise) or want to make doubly sure of their children's success, private tuition has become a way of life in Malta over the last 20 years.

So much so, that parents who do not send their sons and daughters to private lessons are developing guilt complexes because they feel they are not doing enough for their children's education.

Another insidious situation becoming prevalent in Malta is that in some cases parents are making considerable financial sacrifices in order to send their children to private teachers who are fully aware that these children do not have the academic capability to succeed, no matter how many private lessons they attend.

Maybe even more frustrating is the tendency among students to disregard their mainstream schooling and concentrate solely on what they do at il-privat. This phenomenon is fairly widespread among fifth formers preparing for MATSEC examinations and is disturbing and disruptive for mainstream teachers. This is a major complaint aired by many teachers at this level.

A new institution

Having read thus far, one would conclude that private tuition should be banned - not at all! It does have a place in the Maltese educational framework, provided it adheres to specific roles - that of consolidating and complementing what is being learnt in the classroom.

About 30 years ago, Government used to conduct classes called 'continuation lessons'. These were lessons for those pupils who, for various reasons, were lagging behind in the classroom and therefore needed assistance. These did not compete with the day-to-day schoolwork, but rather consolidated and complemented what was being done at school.

Bearing this in mind, if one is to embark on the setting up of a private tuition institution, an extremely competitive market, it is imperative to design a new approach and set clear objectives.

Such an institution must be credible and, from its genesis, must communicate its comprehension and implementation of the fundamental ideology of private tuition and convey that it will be disparate from other similar institutions or individuals.

This disparity will stem from the fact that the institution will cater for students that need that extra push and that, to this end, it will consolidate and complement work done at school. It has to emphasise that its main objective is to help students overcome difficulties in specific subjects.

Thus, its mission statement should be to help students who are in difficulty and not simply cram for exams. Such an institution should provide experienced professionals who will listen to students' problems and design specific strategies to overcome them.

To be different and credible the main guidelines should be:

¤ before assigning students to class, they will be interviewed to assess their individual needs;

¤ limit classes to a maximum of 10 pupils per class;

¤ recruit graduate teachers with at least five years experience;

¤ issue periodic reports on students' performance;

¤ use the same textbooks as mainstream schools;

¤ introduce new textbooks only if abso-lutely necessary.

This is precisely what the new St Matthew's Study Consolidation Centre is projecting as its ethos - that of mainly catering for the specific needs of its students.

During the first year the new centre will concentrate on catering for the Junior Lyceum and Church schools' entrance examinations and the core subjects for entrance into Junior College, which are Maths, Physics, English, Maltese.

Following the initial calls for application for tutors, the centre's administration has received a healthy response from interested tutors covering various subjects. The centre will now focus on prospective students to finalise the subjects and classes, which will commence in the first week of October.

Tuition fees are very competitive and as an added incentive extra material such as photocopying of notes and assignment papers will be free of charge or for a nominal fee. This will be an incentive for parents, as they will be assured that they will not incur any extra costs, as so often is the case.

While the centre understands that this is a new venture in an already saturated market, it should be pointed out that no other venture of this kind has the infrastructure that the new centre has. It is located in a modern building in Mattew Pulis Street, Sliema, with well-equipped, fully air-conditioned classrooms.

For further information contact: St Matthew Study Consolidation Centre, Mattew Pulis Street, Sliema on tel 2132-3373, 9945-7323, fax: 2134-5388 or e-mail: studycentre@lalgroup.com.