Wednesday, 25th November 2009 - 13:41CET
National exams to replace Junior Lyceum, Common Entrance exams from 2011
Social Studies has been removed as a requirement for the Junior Lyceum, Education Minister Dolores Cristina said today.
Speaking at a press conference, she said that pupils will still have to sit for Maltese, Maths, English and Religion exams as part of their Junior Lyceum and Common Entrance examinations. They will also still be examined in Social Studies, but not as an entry requirement.
The last set of Common Entrance and Junior Lyceum exams will be held in May 2010.
As from 2011, the concept of the Junior Lyceum exams will cease, and the current examinations system for progression from primary to secondary schools will be replaced by three national exams - Maths, Maltese and English, and the pupils will then move to secondary schools within their area colleges.
Church and Private Schools will be invited to join the new system.
The minister said that streaming was this year removed from all Grade V classes in government schools, and it would also be removed from Grade VI next year. Students would be assessed for their abilities and grouped according to the support they needed.
For example, the minister said, a pupil who was strong in Maths but weak in English would be placed in a group of the same level. This concept, she said, led to mixed ability classrooms.
She said the reforms were being accompanied by the training of support professionals including teachers, psychologists, youth workers and counsellors. Two special units were being set up in primary and secondary schools, called nurture groups and learning support zones respectively, where children could receive emotional and educational support where needed.
The minister also spoke on the government's commitment to improve the schools environment and said a new school is being built every year.
CHURCH SCHOOLS EXPANDING
The minister said three Church schools - St Paul's Missionary College,St Augustine College, Savio College and the Minor Seminary were planning to each open a primary school while Theresa Nuzzo school would expand to also have a secondary school.
Entrance to Church school junior classes will remain by ballot.
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dan kollu dahk fil-wicc...biex min hu tajjeb jinzel u min hu inqas tajjeb jibqa' kif inhu...
no stress minghalina...pajjiz jibqa' niezel
konsulta mal-ghalliema????
gvern kollu l-istess ....u-turns ta' zmien il-comprehensive system li falliet....
grazzi lil kull min qed jahdem ghal min ghandu l-ulied u hu ma ghandux amment ta' xi jfisser
u ghaziza ministru...int lil uliedek u lil ulied uliedek fil-kullegg tal-imhalltin bghatthom bilhaqq??
If so, is this not discramanatory, since before it had been that any student could take exams preceding their entry into secondary school. If the above is true, then any options that the parents had regarding the schooling of their children is now being taken unjustly away. This is even truer in Gozo since (always,if the above is valid) the options for children are even more constrained.
I would appreciate if anyone could clarify the above matter for me.
@Klaus M. Pedersen its simple you apply for your kids to attend church primary school and after primary they go straight to a secondary school.there are already church schools who done it this system from this year.st aloysius usually takes 4 new entrance for form1 but this year only 1 class cos of stella maris school were included.thats why i say all this is unfair for every boy who attends public school.everyone must have a chance!!!
Granted - Religion, specifically Roman Catholicism, IS part of Maltese culture, but personally I'd rather see that done away with than Social Studies.
What does that mean? How will entrance to Church schools be decided under the new system?
Another issue which totally overseen is the physical skill issue. If our educational system has the aim of producing a wholistically developed person why aren't physical skills being assessed and developed at such sensitive neurological developmental ages as those at Primary school ages in parallel with the skills of Numeracy and Literacy.
Nobody has ever wondered why our stressed students at Tertiary level let off steam at illicit parties rather than by using physical exercise? As a nation we are loosing a number of academic talents because of this.
Whilst it seems politically ideal to care for the mases of lesser talents, I feel we should not give less attention to those who are more gifted.
Research shows that children who are taught in mixed ability classrooms benefit much more than those who are taught in ability grouped classes. (Ref to PISA reports 2003, 2006 )
Teaching a mixed ability class requires much more preparation from the teachers and the need to use more resources (especially human resources).
This reform also asks for a serious rethinking of our assessment system! we should try to assess understanding rather than the reproduction of material taught!
i am totally in favour of the proposed reform as an idea but i have my sincere doubts about it's full success first and foremost because lots of teachers are still in favour of streaming and secondly because unfortunately this reform was built on a political agenda. such a radical change is impossible to be carried out in just 2 years AND without it being 'tested' through a pilot study!
It seems that we are gradually moving away from streaming and towards mixed ability classes. This is something to encourage but I cannot see it working when you have a class of students whose abilities are extremely varied.
It does not mean that religiious studies are eliminated but just as Social studies remain so will Religion. Perhas it will remain for entry to church schools.
It is to be remembered that there are pupils who are exempt from attending religion lessons.
Maybe this is the reason why the Social Studies syllabus was revised this year ........ again... and the teachers being informed of the changes a week after school started this September, when the planning for the 'old' syllabus had already been done.
What a shame !
This and many similar cases are what the authorities should take note of. Unfortunately the truth is that the people on top do not have much experience in schools and in classrooms.................if at all.
Back to the middle ages, or do I hear Fred Flinstone reversing his car?
Sure! We need Social Studies back!
We want our children to recognize the difference between plants, birds and fish (to the least detail)!
We're talking about Malta, you know, the tiny country with it's commerce based on fish and agriculture, and island where 95% are fishermen, hunters or farmers!
[/sarcasm]
Quote "For example, the minister said, a pupil who was strong in Maths but weak in English would be placed in a group of the same level. This concept, she said, led to mixed ability classrooms."
I ask mixed ability in the subject or in overall profeciency of subjects. How can this be done in all schools??? Does this mean that small schools will have more teachers employed so that classes can be divided??? What abou church schools dear minister? Are they also going to have more availability of teachers so that this new form of streaming can be applied -as many are too small to afford it. This sounds like a half baked cake dear minister and those who eat from this cake might get an indigestion. Let' s see and hope that time will not show us that this will be a repeat of history!!!
Ghalfejn ma nehhux ir religion ukoll? it tifel tieghi qieghed yr6 u meta nigu biex nistudjaw ir religion insibu li fih hafna affarjiet li lanqas jien qatt ma kont studjajtom meta kont izghar u li kont imurr fi skola tal knisja. mhux qed nghid inehhu il lesson tieghu, ghax kollox hu mportanti, izda jitnehha l-ezami tieghu ghax ghandom 3kotba x'jistudjaw u mhux xi sugett li jistaw ikomplu jistudjaw fuqu. u dan sena ohra xorta ha jitnehha allur jista jitnehha din is sena bhal ma tnehha is social studies!!
with same mentality soon you will end up removing the religion. And after the millions of Euros spent in this issue, we will end up with 3 exams as originally use to be!!
I this value for moeny minister??
As for the removal of streaming, I have my reserves if this is not accompanied by an increased sense of discipline in the classroom and beyond. An undisciplined classroom is to the detriment of the studious student, who now would end up with students who aren't bred up to be true to their designation, students.
Finally, I hope this reform yields positive results.
change of name
removal of religion and social studies (to help students have LESS idea then they already have about the world around them)
well done! (this took us almost 2 years to compile! )