National benchmarking planned

The government aims to develop a national benchmarking system for compulsory education which will put state, Church and independent schools on the same plane. This should take place after the Matsec review and the 11+ exam review are evaluated.

This is one of the educational measures outlined in the pre-budget document launched last Saturday by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.

"The compulsory national benchmarking exercise will be taken at significant stages to test the educational development of all students in both primary and secondary schooling in the state and non-state sectors," the document states.

The pre-budget document highlights a series of measures aimed at ascertaining quality education, such as the implementation of the new education law which has just been approved by Parliament and the development of an infrastructure which caters for early education services and childcare for young children.

Other measures include the move towards more autonomy of state schools as colleges and the building of new schools in Cospicua, Mosta, Naxxar, Qormi and Pembroke.

Many of the measures are based on action plans which have already been set out. During the past months, reports on inclusive and special education, Matsec, school attendance, early childhood education, career guidance and adult basic skills have been conducted. The pre-budget document places emphasis on the implementation of these reports.

"Changing demographics, growing competitive pressures, a structural change in the economy and shifts in the labour market towards highly skilled occupations, all necessitate a transformation of our education system," the document states. "The type of education required is also changing. New fields of scientific research are continuously emerging, generally acting as precursors to entirely new products, services and ways of life." This is why one of the measures is to invest in upgrading science and technology labs and facilities within all schools.

"Focusing on the early and compulsory school years, children face various hurdles at transition points and, although the majority make it, the country cannot afford to lose one single student by the wayside as a result of faulty transition or a lack of planning and preparation," the document states.

The grouping of state schools into networks is one of the measures which will continue to be implemented to ensure this smooth transition between one educational stage and another.

With regard to inclusive education, although major changes have been made, the document places emphasis on the need for further training of personnel and for improving the services offering support to class teachers and learning support assistants.

The document outlines several measures aimed at increasing participation rates in further and higher education, including increasing investment to expand the Junior College and MCAST, and towards the faculties and student services at the University, providing financial packages to students who wish to undertake further research with the University, and improving science, engineering, ICT, medicine and health and environmental sciences programmes.

A major development is MCAST's launching of a pilot project next year to develop a full first degree with vocational relevance.

"The top-up degree programme will be developed through a franchise and joint award framework with the aim of obtaining degree awarding status in the long term," the document explains.

With regard to career guidance services, the document states that guidance and counselling services at the compulsory education level will be offered through two separate, but complementary services. The government also plans to develop a national career guidance policy within a lifelong learning context. In the further and higher education sector, the document recognises the need for more investment with the aim of linking research, guidance information and career and educational pathways.

"The challenge for students is to acquire the necessary information to navigate through larger and more varied education pathways and gain access to what could at times become an oversubscribed field of study. Education must therefore anticipate, lead and provide more responsive education systems, more education at further and higher levels, for more students, throughout their entire life," the document states.