Mario Vella, Mellieħa.
Former Education Minister fails electoral exam
It is unbelievable how ironic life can be in politics! He who has shot down a genuine proposal by the Labour Party aimed at helping children to be introduced to formal schooling by passing through a reception class which he dubbed to be a repeater class, has failed to pass his electoral exam!
Louis Galea has been left out in the cold by not being returned to Parliament, no matter how much he chose to deceive parents by playing with their emotions, and no matter how many strings he cut in ceremonies when opening schools and gyms.
As Minister of Education he should have hailed the proposal. But no, he preferred political mileage by hitting under Labour's belt and preferring to misinform parents! The price he chose to pay was that of failing dismally in being elected in both electoral districts he contested and not even in being co-opted as a runner-up!
He failed not once, or twice, but thrice! Worse than a repeater in a Labour reception class.
He has fallen victim perhaps of his own deceit... relegating himself to a failure waiting not in a repeaters' class but in limbo! So much for the educational reforms he has been boasting of with so much pomp!
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Liam Kelly
Mar 14th 2008, 22:49
I assume that you are a child yourself, since you have declared that the repeater idea will 'help' children.
Speaking as someone who had just finished university, and had came through the British schooling system, i simply COULD NOT WAIT to leave after completing school. God forbid if i had to do an extra year!!
Secondly, i dont know where people are getting the idea that this concept is implimented in UK schools... i only spent one year at Nursury (not Kintergarten...we're not in America), and quite frankly it was the biggest waist of time in my life, obviously i don't remember much from it but i remember longing to go home every day, whereas a proper school environment stimulates the mind and helps educate children to a higher degree, at the time where their minds are most open to new information.
I wouldnt trust Alfred Sant with a peanut, never mind our childrens education in his hands.
Anton Portelli
Mar 14th 2008, 22:18
I must congratulate Dr. Louis Galea for his sterling work in education. Surely the fact that he was not elected cannot be associated with any deceit on his part. The reception class surely would have put children at a disadvantage. Rather than deceiving people Dr. Louis Galea and the PN gave students state of the art schools and better opportunities to study at University and MCAST.
Nathaniel Ebejer
Mar 14th 2008, 18:03
In the past 5 years Louis Galea did his utnost to see Malta's education improve. Back in the days when the great Alfred Sant was President of the Labour Party you couldn't get into University unless you had a godfather and it was labour who closed down Mcast.
To say that Louis Galea failed to get elected because he criticised the reception class is pure ignorance (then again i didn't expect much more from a broken-hearted labourite but that's another issue).
Oh and by the way Mr. Vella if anyone failed any electoral exams it is the labour party. It lost 3 consecutive elections and a referendum where it failed miserably and still claimed it won. So when it comes to failing electoral exams i don't think you should utter a single word.
Graham Crocker
Mar 14th 2008, 16:53
Someone out there actually thought the reception class was a good idea? I thought it was a naming issue..really... since we have our education system modeled on the UK education system. Kinder year 2 = Reception class? maybe..not too sure myself. But someone actually thought it was a good idea. Amazing what people believe nowadays.
Jennifer Cosaitis
Mar 14th 2008, 14:43
Why should Louis Galea have agreed with a proposal which was ridiculous to start with? The electorate gave a clear reply of what it thought of Labour's proposals, including the hilarious repeater class. Your letter sounds quite amusing from someone whose government has failed to hold a term of government in our country successfully for the past 20 years.. and will be 25...
Joe Martinelli
Mar 14th 2008, 13:56
Mario Vella forgets that the 'repeater class' as described/altered/reinvented/misinterpreted and fumbled by Dr. Sant was rejected by a princely total of 143,468 valid votes.
'The wolf jumped to reach those luscious grapes; not once, not twice, not three times but four'. He could not jump high enough. Out of breath, he looked at the grapes one more time and muttered to himself - "them grapes are sour anyway" - and went on his way. So did Dr. Sant.
Wilfred Camilleri
Mar 14th 2008, 13:47
Perhaps Mr. Vella should consider taking a "preparation" class himself if he thinks that the proposal by the MLP would have helped children. The proposal was idiotic and does not make any sense. The MLP deserved to lose the election on this issue alone!
Franco Farrugia
Mar 14th 2008, 12:33
I think that one of the ways that the MLP shot itself in the foot was the so-called 'repeaters' class' which probably made parents shudder at the thought of Malta's Labour once again experimenting with our educational system.
With regard to the former Minister of Education, one must point out that the educational sector did not lag behind under his time in office and I would like to take the opportunity of wishing Dr Galea well in future endeavours.
I think that Mr Vella should realise that if there is anyone who 'has failed to pass his electoral exam', it is certainly not just Dr Galea but also Dr Sant, and with him, the whole Labour Party. How is that for deception?
L. Mifsud
Mar 14th 2008, 12:04
Dr. Louis Galea's contribution to education is for all to see. If he failed to get elected it does not mean that he deceived people.
The test of the so-called "reception class" lies in the fact that it was shot down by the electorate and not by Dr. Galea and it was the reception class which was deceiving the Maltese electorate in that it was being touted as a system similar to that in the UK when it was absolutely not the case. A clear and undisputed deception indeed.
I take this opportunity to thank Dr. Galea for his sterling work in education. A brief tour to our schools, higher-education instutitions including University bears witness to this. I'm genuinely sorry that Dr. Galea was not elected and would like to thank him publicly for his commitment to education.
frank grech
Mar 14th 2008, 11:29
Dear mario Vella, if this is of consolation to you, so be it but the fact remains that Dr Sant lost the election because of his many mistaken policies, including that of the repeater class.