Cospicua school to take unprecedented action after all pupils fail Lyceum exam

Cospicua state primary school is to take the unprecedented step of asking the Minister of Education to authorise a special curriculum after all pupils failed the last Junior Lyceum exam, the principal of St Margaret College, Sandro Spiteri said today. The school forms part of the college.

Mr Spiteri explained that while he had every confidence in the teachers – who achieved good results in the past ­– there was no doubt that the school faced particular problems which demanded particular solutions as allowed in the Education Act.

He said the school has appointed an Action Committee which includes representatives of the school, the local council, Sedqa and Appogg, the directorate of education and the college, to go into the details of the problem and suggest solutions including charges to the curriculum and the way the school interacts with the community. Recommendations will be submitted by the end of December.

The current situation was also discussed this morning when the minister, Dolores Cristina, visited the school.

Mr Spiteri said there were social realities which were affecting the pupils and even the teachers, who had even suffered stress because of the fear of being beaten.

“We have to admit that all this affects morale. The reality is that teachers are doing their best in a very difficult situation” he said. “We therefore need different tools to what other schools have, including regular therapy sessions for the children.”

At the same time, the school needed to build on the strengths it had, including the strong sense of community and the integration between the school and social services, Mr Spiteri said.