Plans to promote study of Arabic

Arabic is back on the educational agenda. Education Minister Louis Galea recently spoke of a number of initiatives being taken by his ministry to promote knowledge and appreciation of the Arabic language, culture and civilisation.

The study of Arabic had been made compulsory for all schoolchildren under the Mintoff government, but the policy was later reversed and the language made an optional subject. Relatively few students now choose to study it.

Speaking at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris recently, Dr Galea said evening courses and new opportunities to learn the language at school were being planned, and the ministry was exploring ways in which Maltese and Arabic students could go on exchange visits.

The ministry is also having talks with the Staff Development Organisation within the Office of the Prime Minister on the possibility of awarding scholarships to public service employees for the study of Arabic culture and civilisation at the University of Malta.

In another initiative, a number of personalities and scholars connected to the Arab world, both European and from Arab countries, are to be invited to engage in a process of dialogue on the appreciation of Arab civilisation and culture.

Dr Galea explained these plans to the director general and president of the institute, Nasser El Ansary and Denis Bauchard.

The two sides discussed how the institute could advise Malta on setting up programmes to strengthen the Maltese people's capacity to contribute to dialogue in the Euro Mediterranean region.

The minister explained that he was among other Maltese working with the Egyptian, Tunisian, Libyan and Palestinian ambassadors, among others, to identify opportunities in the economic, cultural and educational sectors.

"Exploiting these opportunities would entail more Maltese studying Arabic civilisation, culture and language," said the minister.

He said this was necessary if Malta was to make the most of the comparative advantages that the country enjoyed through her geographical position and Mediterranean history.