Principal asks for special curriculum for Cospicua's failing pupils

The Cospicua state primary school is taking the unprecedented step of asking the Education Minister to authorise a special curriculum after all its pupils failed the last junior lyceum exam in May.

Sandro Spiteri, the principal of St Margaret College, under which the school falls, said he was personally and professionally satisfied with the teachers, who have achieved results in the past. But the school faced particular problems that demanded particular solutions.

An action committee, including school representatives, the Cospicua mayor and social welfare agencies Aċċess and Appoġġ, has been set up to delve into the problem and suggest solutions, changes to the curriculum and the way the school interacts with the community.

The detailed proposals will be presented to Education Minister Dolores Cristina by the end of December to be implemented immediately. Mr Spiteri said: "We cannot wait!"

The situation was discussed yesterday when Ms Cristina visited the school.

Mr Spiteri said that, considering the poverty rate, the vulnerability of the families and the housing problems in the area, the results were not surprising. "It would have been a miracle had we achieved the national average in Cospicua."

Mr Spiteri said these social realities were affecting the pupils as well as the teachers who suffered daily stress and a fear of being beaten up.

"We have to admit that all this affects the morale of the teachers. They are doing their best in a very difficult situation. We, therefore, need tools that are different from what other schools have, including regular drama therapy, for example."

Mr Spiteri said the failure of the students had instilled a strong sense of disaffection and families were disheartened. But investment in the college's "state-of-the-art" new Verdala boys' secondary school, where they moved on to, was having a positive effect on their self-concept.

The Cospicua school also needed to build on its strengths, including the strong sense of community and its close interconnection with social services, Mr Spiteri said.

One of the college's major advantages was that it catered for students until Form V, so none would be lost, he said. But the plan was to catch them from the start and the committee would not only be focusing on crisis management but would be working with the families before their children attended the school.

Among the initiatives due to kick off is a homework club to tackle what are known as latchkey children, who have nowhere to go after school and return to an empty home.

Mr Spiteri predicted, however, that the fruit of recent changes would not be reaped before another three years.