Dutch pupils' eye-opening exchange visit

Maltese schools differ from Dutch ones in a number of respects, so a week-long exchange visit by Dutch pupils from Kandinsky College, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, to the Archbishop's Seminary secondary school in Rabat, proved to be an eye-opening experience.

Schools in The Netherlands are co-educational notwithstanding any detrimental effect that exposure to the opposite sex may have on academic performance. Individualism and non-conformity are part and parcel of the Dutch psyche, so school uniforms are anathema - no Dutch school would dare impose such a thing upon their pupils for fear of unleashing a national uprising!

The Anglo-Saxon custom of morning assembly - where the school authorities are afforded a platform to strut, be stern and wield their authority - is another unknown feature in The Netherlands.

Our Maltese colleagues Claudia Cauchi, Paul Cutajar and the assistant head, Carmen Sammut put together a five-day discovery tour of Malta's history and culture. Accompanied by our very knowledgeable and competent guide Frans van Avendonk, we visited Ggantija Temples, the Gozo Citadel, Mdina, with its bastions, Arab buildings and British post-boxes, and Valletta, with the grandeur of its streets and the Grand Master's Palace.

Through "The Malta Experience" we learned how the Maltese suffered during World War II, were awarded the George Cross for their devotion and heroism, and visited the museum to see the planes used during at the time. During an afternoon Grand Harbour Cruise we were left in awe by the Valletta bastions.On reflection, our visit to Malta was not only an ideal tonic to dispel the gloom of the Dutch winter but a true educational experience.

Pupil exchanges are demanding and time-consuming but are of immeasurable educational and social value. Pupils broaden their horizons, practise their language skills and learn to collaborate with foreign peers - essential competences for any pupil preparing for the workplace of the 21st century.

Malta may be no more than a speck on Europe's map, but when it comes to history and culture, few places have as much to offer. Undoubtedly, all the pupils will look back at this exchange visit as one of the highlights of their school years.