"I did not ask for your opinion!" We have all heard words like these uttered by teachers during our school lives. And no doubt this attitude is still keeping a lot of students from expressing their views in classrooms around the country.

Traditionally, schools are dictatorships. In the past, students were not allowed even a modicum of decision-making, no matter how inconsequential to the "real" business of running a school. Without any training for it, they were then expected to play a full part, as adults, in the functioning of democracy in society.

This mind-set is beginning to change, and it will one day be consigned firmly to educational history if Josephine Vassallo, the education officer for democracy and values education, gets her way. In a post created only a year ago, Ms Vassallo is on the front line of a new drive to make schools more democratic.

"The task of preparing citizens for the future can best be addressed by structuring the school itself in such a way that it becomes a living laboratory of democratic citizenship," she said in an interview.

Democracy, she holds, goes beyond merely nominating and voting for candidates; it also involves grassroots participation - and in education that means participation by students.

The challenge for schools, therefore, is to help children learn such things as working cooperatively, respecting the opinions of others, taking responsibility for roles and duties, thinking critically, resolving conflict, keeping themselves informed and participating at all levels.

After all, the national minimum curriculum lays down that schools should serve as a "testing ground for democracy". They should inculcate skills such as active participation in the classroom and in school politics, the ability to discuss, dialogue and debate, and the ability to work in the community. One of the focus groups charged with researching curriculum matters worked specifically on democracy in schools.

Yet, resistance to giving students more of a say is entrenched. "Certain heads are indifferent and even hostile to the idea of having a more democratic school culture," said Ms Vassallo.

"Others allow only token participation by students, or they engage in manipulating the student council. This is backfiring however, because I know of students who say 'why submit my name for election to the council if our opinions are not respected?'"

So how does a school become more democratic? The student council is one such mechanism. Unfortunately, only 19 secondary state and non-state schools, out of 52, have one, according to a survey conducted by Ms Vassallo.

A council might become involved in areas such as planning school assemblies, suggesting new equipment for the school, reviewing tuck shop food, deciding which charities to support and organising social events for students. It might set up links with other schools, organise orientation for new students, produce newsletters and posters, even plan events to promote better relations between students and staff.

Other ways to educate students "in the art of participatory democracy" emerge from Ms Vassallo's survey aimed at gauging schools' progress in the field. She asked them, for example, whether students are given the chance to negotiate class and school rules.

Can they take part in community activities such as by volunteering for children's and old people's homes, or by doing clean-ups? Are there science, debating, ICT and other such clubs at the school? Can the students lead assemblies, help organise parents' and prize days, welcome visitors and guest speakers?

Are there class committees, SCOOPS (school cooperatives), any student-initiated activities? Do the adults share decisions with the students?

Ms Vassallo, who is an EO within the Education Division's Department for Student Services and International Relations, comes across as a great believer in school democracy. And she appears to be going about her work with missionary fervour. Besides the survey, data from which is still being compiled, she embarked on a programme of school visits immediately after being appointed, in support of student civic participation, student councils and education for democratic citizenship.

She has also led staff development sessions in several schools, stressing that the ethos of democracy and values should prevail in all dealings with students, and encouraging the schools to set up student councils.

"So that every student would benefit, we would like every class to have its own council or committee. This can be an excellent training ground in responsibility for future citizens. Classroom councils provide an ideal foundation for a whole school student council," she said.

Her work takes on added significance with next year being the European Year of Citizenship. Malta will organise activities around the theme and in this connection Ms Vassallo is planning a number of pilot projects in different schools.

One of the projects will be a literacy hour held every week throughout the year aimed at bringing out the ideas of citizenship. Another will be teaching democratic values through mid-week activities such as crafts, music and drama. In another school she is hoping to introduce a cross-curricular approach to the issues.

"These schools will then become models for others and will become actively involved in spreading the ideas," she said.

One day, the opinions of all students will be listened to.

Dear Teacher...

I am a survivor of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no man should witness:

¤ Gas chambers built by learned engineers.
¤ Children poisoned by educated physicians.
¤ Infants killed by trained nurses.
¤ Women and babies shot and burned by high school and college graduates.

So I am suspicious of education.

My request is: Help your students become human. Your efforts must never produce learned monsters, skilled psychopaths, educated Eichmanns. Reading, writing, arithmetic are important only if they serve to make our children more human.

Letter sent by the principal of a school in the United States to his teachers.