Children being over-stressed
Excessive competition encouraged by parents and stress caused by exams and an overloaded syllabus are some of the topics to be tackled at a public discussion on Malta's education system to be held tomorrow between 5.30 and 7.30 p.m. at the Office of...
Excessive competition encouraged by parents and stress caused by exams and an overloaded syllabus are some of the topics to be tackled at a public discussion on Malta's education system to be held tomorrow between 5.30 and 7.30 p.m. at the Office of the Commissioner for Children, Social Welfare Centre, St Venera.
Children's Commissioner Carmen Zammit, who receives numerous complaints on the subject, says the blame lay both with the education system as well as with parents who push their children towards academic-oriented activities.
"Children are not being allocated enough time to play," she said during the recent course on children's rights, entitled Rights 4U organised by the commissioner's office, which was attended by around 50 children aged between 13 and 15.
Playing is one of the rights listed in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, but Ms Zammit said many children did not have enough time to engage in free play. Hovever, even leisure activities - such as learning a musical instrument - were being injected with a competitive aspect, making children feel as if it was another academic subject, the commissioner said. "We need to work more with parents who are pushing their children too much," she said.
During the public discussion tomorrow, Dr Valerie Sollars, head of the University of Malta's Department of Primary Education, will make a brief presentation on the topic, as presented in the Manifesto for Children.
The manifesto also addresses absenteeism, school transport, and the education of school age mothers, streaming system in primary state schools which is slowly being eradicated, the system of colleges which is being currently introduced, and special and inclusive education, which requires further discussion.
This is the fourth discussion that the Commisioner's Office is holding following the drawing up of the manifesto, which was published earlier this year. The manifesto is based on the principles found in the UN convention, and the education system is one of the issues it addresses.
All interested parties, including children, are being encouraged to put forward recommendations for a report to be drawn up and presented to the authorities.
Those attending tomorrow's discussion are asked to call the Office on 2148 5180 or e-mail sharon.a.attard@gov.mt.