The case for streamed classes

Discussing state primary education without reference to streaming and the Junior Lyceum is like attempting to produce Hamlet without the prince or Xarabank without Peppi Azzopardi. The practice of streaming children in the top classes of the state primary schools took some hard knocks recently in Parliament. Much use was made of that splendidly evocative word "undemocratic" with the new minister indulging in the politico-semantic exercise of equating streaming with "segregation", "lack of motivation", "low self-esteem and confidence". It was made abundantly clear that for the new luminaries in the education corridors of power, "mixed ability" classes may be the panacea for state primary schools to achieve better standards.

Let me state from the outset that were it not for the state selective system, many high profile professionals, top administrative officers and parliamentarians from working class background would not have been so successful. I have always been puzzled how those blessed with a sense of social justice, traditionally boasting of standing up for the downtrodden, rarely take up the cudgel to defend "selection by ability" (streaming), the most democratic system that allows talented but poor children to progress in life.

In many developed countries, most of the fury directed at the selection system has abated as it is being increasingly realised that "whole-class" teaching, where the teacher stands at the front of the class and gives lessons involving all the pupils, is in the best interest of the child and education in general. These progressive countries want to see schools that focus on what really works and abandon any residual dogmatic attachment to mixed-ability teaching. They are now convinced that "child-centred" education developed in the 1960s and 1970s, with its corresponding comprehensive system, has not delivered what its advocates hoped for, never mind what we require in the 21st century.

The whole process became suspect in the 1990s and in England a detailed report by a special commission headed by noted educationalist Robin Alexander recommended the immediate re-introduction of the "back-to-the basics" movement with its stress on streaming. As every teacher knows, but some may not admit, some children are cleverer than others. If a class includes children of all levels of ability, that class has to be split into groups for teaching purposes. So children are streamed within the class instead of being streamed within the school. This form of "concealed streaming" can have negative effects both on the gifted child as well as on the backward child because no teacher can cope successfully with such a class. Let us give our children equal educational opportunities for all; but this should never be equated with equal education to all. We are told that in "unstreamed" classes the backward ones would do better and that the "high-fliers" would benefit. This is utter nonsense.

On the local front, the argument that in private schools, and Church schools in particular, pupils of different abilities, aptitudes and backgrounds are not streamed and, in fact, obtain better results than state schools is not totally valid. It leaves out a very important factor in the educational sphere and that is the parents. The majority of parents who send their children to these schools are highly motivated and place education on top of their priorities in life. They are prepared to make any sacrifice in order to ensure their child's progress in class, a highly commendable move and may it last for ever. This contrasts sharply with the situation in some of Malta's state primary schools where highly-dedicated teachers have to face hostility, crass indifference, lack of cooperation from unmotivated parents.

It is not surprising that teachers massively prefer streamed classes. Apart from other considerations already mentioned, in order to protect the gifted child in educationally-deprived areas, streaming should not only remain but extended.

It is highly significant that in England, which for almost two centuries has influenced local educational "thought and practice", both the Conservatives and the Labour Party are heavily committed to a selective system of education based on the old values of class teaching as opposed to group teaching with an emphasis on the core subjects of English, mathematics and science.

Our young nation cannot afford to lose gifted children. This is our only way forward in this highly-competitive technological age.