An additional €5.5 million for church schools - PM

An additional €5.5 million are being allocated to church schools this year, upping the government’s allocation to €38.5 million, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said this morning.

Speaking during a visit to St Augustine’S College in Pieta’, Dr Gonzi said the allocation was being given as part of the reform which had to be carried out for a better transition between primary and secondary education.

The reform had gone through a process of consultation which included the participation of Church schools.

Dr Gonzi said the church was to invest some €20 million in the building of new schools. This decision reflected the Church’s committment to implement the reform in the transition from primary to secondary education.

This would lead to the introduction of mixed-ability classrooms through the removal of streaming, a decision which was less stressful on the needs of students and parents. The curriculum would be focused on continuous assessement and the holistic formation of young people.

Through the investment in new church schools, mainly at primary level, the common entrance examinations were being removed and a new drawing system for entry in church schools was being introduced.

Besides the financial allocation of €38.5 million, the government would also be giving a 15.2 per cent refund of the expenses related to the building of the new schools.

The government currently paid the wages and allowances of 1,127 teachers and of 342 learning support assistants in church schools. These workers were purposely trained and assigned to classes which had children with learning difficulties.