The college principal: Proposal of a vision

We have been reading a lot about the important and challenging steps that are being undertaken in the much needed reform in education. Unless we know clearly the way ahead and what we must achieve, the whole exercise will be a frustrating sheer waste of time, money and energy.

College principals in the Directorate for Educational Services (DES) in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment are being engaged to push forward a far-reaching vision aimed at giving Malta better citizens. The coherent aspect of these colleges must impart a vision that will hopefully be realised in a future generation conscious of our basic environmental attitudes and responsibilities, projected to the needs of Mother Earth, the important links that must start existing effectively between industry and the education system, the fact that man cannot live by bread alone, and the need to preserve and love our identity, language, beliefs, culture and history.

This is a crucial and exciting time in our system of educating the younger generations. It is, therefore, very important to get ideals and perceptions correct from the very beginning, knowing exactly what we are aiming for. We do need certification and all that goes with it but this is not sufficient. Certification is an important aspect that must be forever in front of one's eyes. But the perception and sensitivity of a college principal must reach further and well beyond that. The principal's ideals must radiate to educators in the college who, in turn, implant in a deep sense of belonging and love among their students.

This word love appears to pop up frequently. It may seem strange, but understandably so, unless there is love one cannot have a sense of belonging. To love one's country one must know his/her country. Furthermore, unless we understand our environment, and know our history we cannot take steps to conserve what little natural environment we have. We cannot use the technology that suits us best. We cannot adapt and prepare ourselves better to improve industry in Malta. Unless we know and we love our country all efforts at waste separation and alternative energy will be futile. Unless a person claiming a proper vision in our educational system manages to effectively and consistently put the significance of this word love at the base of all insights and perceptions, it would be hard to think about the consequences resulting in all these efforts and reforms.

A vision of education should be both active and proactive in empowering our youths from an early age not only with the basic curricular knowledge, information and skills but with a love for cultural and the natural environment. This will be a springboard to appreciating the world around them, and to affecting appropriate technological progress that brings about those little changes that render life more comfortable, healthier and more enjoyable.

Reaching innovations in the cultural and natural environments, the arts, health and safety, sports, teacher development and other areas are all parts of this vision. Involvement in projects such as Eko Skola, waste management and Comenius are a definite sine qua non in the life of a college. Educators are deeply involved in many similar projects that go hand in hand with the National Minimum Curriculum. The time has come to consider also other ideas. Indicators show dire and immediate need for a better future. Many projects fleshing this vision exist. Two particular projects that may be useful in the areas of the environment, science and technology are the Energy Terrace and the Stephen Hawking Science and Technology Project.

The Energy Terrace is an open-air laboratory where investigations on aspects of alternative and sustainable forms of energy may be conducted and monitored. The Energy Terrace should be located at every secondary school and there should also be a greenhouse, solar heaters and photo-voltaic panels that may eventually be connected to the school services, wind turbines, solar ovens, astronomy equipment and wave models.

When some years ago I came up with the idea, I developed it into a full report, coined the words Energy Terrace for the project, and was given an enthusiastic go-ahead to build a solar collector to kick-start its functioning. Drawing from my experience in industry, I constructed the solar water heater, inviting in the process the involvement of interested students and parents. As expected, the results were incredibly beneficial. The idea had set our youths on hands-on alternative energy investigations. But as with many useful ideas, the progress on the Energy Terrace stopped there. The potential benefits from such a site in schools are enormous. Investigations can be conducted on an on-going process, thereby introducing students to practical experiences in alternative energy and sustainable sources of energy. The repertoire of experiments endorsed by the Matsec Board can also be expanded tremendously. Money on electricity bills can be actually saved, and youths can be introduced directly to the industry thus establishing essential links between the school and the outside world of knowledge application - precisely the link the current reforms endeavour to establish.

Proof that such a project as the Energy Terrace should inevitably feature in a college principal's vision was supplied by the presence of the Prime Minister who inaugurated the Energy Terrace. Furthermore, Education Minister Louis Galea himself spoke highly of its benefits.

Another project is the Stephen Hawking Science and Technology Project. The idea emanated from my experience as a young engineering student in Germany many years ago. I had been invited by one of my mentors to prepare, at a very short notice, a researched public presentation on a particular practical topic, which I was to present to an audience of students and guests. I still remember how afraid I was because I had never been trained to do that in Malta. Eventually, as an educator, my aim became to train students and provide them with similar opportunities from an early stage.

Firstly, I organised such an activity at De La Salle College. The annual week-long interactive sessions and exhibitions, which were held for several consecutive years, were a huge success attracting parents, students and university lecturers. The idea was then introduced at San Andrea Senior School under the name of Stephen Hawking Science and Technology Project.

The project lasts one scholastic year. Students work in pairs and present their work in three areas of assessment: A researched assignment on a freely chosen topic, a viva-voce presentation, and an audio-visual presentation using 3D models, experiments and all other means that may help sharing their discoveries.

This presents the educator with a golden opportunity to introduce to the young adolescent new ideas linking science, technology and industry, and to develop skills such as creativity, communication, synthesis, analysis and evaluation. It triggers an interest to discover the natural laws that govern the physical world, and stimulates the inquisitive mind. The students' self-esteem is increased, hidden talents are discovered, natural abilities stretched to a maximum in spite of drawbacks. The activity is rounded up at the end by an interactive Science and Technology Week.

The challenges to realise such project, not least issues like financial and human resources, are a reality. Yet, the results harvested are undoubtedly enormous and worth the hard work. The characteristic determination, clarity of mind, hard work, good will, initiative, a set mind, leadership and common sense of a college principal are what is required to put into practice this valid vision.

Mr Borg is a teacher of physics, and is actively involved in industrial consultancy.