Sant claim on Junior Lyceums 'blatant lie'

The Prime Minister yesterday vehemently denied the claim made by Labour leader Alfred Sant that a new Nationalist Government plans to dismantle Junior Lyceums, dismissing it as a blatant lie.

Speaking on Radio 101 yesterday morning, Lawrence Gonzi said this latest unfounded allegation overstepped the borders of political decency and evidenced the panic-stricken state the Labour Party was in.

The education sector is embroiled in a partisan ping-pong in this electoral campaign. Dr Sant's claim came in reaction to the PN's criticism of Labour's reception class proposal, which Dr Gonzi last Thursday called "dangerous and scandalous".

On Friday, Dr Sant called on the PN to come clean on its hidden proposals in the interest of "honesty and transparency", referring to what he said was the Nationalists' plan to dismantle Junior Lyceum schools.

But Dr Gonzi said yesterday: "Not only don't we want to remove Junior Lyceums, but we want all children, without exception, to attend."

Currently, the exams which come at the end of primary school stream children into Junior Lyceums, and what are known as area secondary schools.

In recent years, the Government had managed to increase the rate of children that attend Junior Lyceums - as opposed to area secondary schools - from 48 to 61 per cent.

"We want to keep improving on that and eventually see all children attend Junior Lyceums," he said. He pointed out, however, that the entrance exam should stop serving as a method with which to pigeonhole students and instead act to screen students' potential.

The exam should serve to identify students' different talents, and to help highlight what resources are needed, he said.

A similar point was made by educationalist and philosopher Kenneth Wain, who argued in The Times against Labour's reception class proposal, saying that the real problem with the current educational system lies with the Junior Lyceum exam, "which forces teachers to dedicate Year Four to Year Six to preparations for this exam".

In fact, the education ministry had commissioned a team of experts to review the exam and its effects on students in 2006, yet the document was never released despite being finalised last year.

The rationale being advanced for the reception class idea by Labour is based on a similar assessment that the current system is too stressful and crammed.