Fiona Galea Debono
Maltese scheme meets resistance Down Under
A government scholarship initiative to spread the Maltese language overseas has been shot down in Australia because the requirements do not fit the profile of possible candidates and the allowances are considered “a pittance”.
The Australia-based Federation of Maltese Living Abroad listed expenses to cover living costs and the course duration as limitations, saying the initiative was unlikely to appeal to the Australians it was also aimed at.
The drive to keep the language alive, a promise made by Education Minister Dolores Cristina at the Convention for Maltese Living Abroad last March, has resulted in some nine initiatives, including scholarships to obtain a Bachelor of Education degree, specialising in Maltese, at the University of Malta.
But while he was happy to note the government’s keen interest in maintaining language and culture among Maltese abroad, FMLA president Maurice Cauchi shot down the scheme for Australia, where Maltese is taught most, on grounds that it was structured to appeal to countries closer to home and not the average Maltese teacher Down Under.
He played down the impact of the scheme on the teaching of Maltese in Canada and Australia, saying it was more likely to attract younger persons, living in the EU, rather than those from faraway countries.
The scheme, Spread Maltese, was launched by the Education Ministry, targeting nationals living abroad and of Maltese descent. The candidates would have to want to spread awareness of the Maltese language and, in turn, would have the opportunity to learn to teach it.
But Prof. Cauchi pointed out that the majority of teachers in Australia taught Maltese in their spare time, having family commitments, and were not necessarily trained teachers, with a University degree. None of them would be in a position to take advantage of the scholarships offered, he stressed. “I believe it is going to be difficult to find persons outside Europe with the necessary qualifications and these may have to be expanded to cater for Canada and Australia, where there is the greatest need, and from where it is hoped most of the applicants would come.”
Moreover, the scholarships only covered University fees and some pocket money, without taking into consideration the substantial expenses involved in travel, particularly from distant countries, Prof. Cauchi said.
“They presume these young, possibly third-generation, applicants would be supporting themselves or still have relatives who would put them up for the four-year stint in Malta,” he pointed out.
Prof. Cauchi added that during March’s convention, delegates stressed on the need to organise shorter, intensive, refresher courses – even of just one month – which would be more acceptable for those currently teaching Maltese.
The scholarship actually includes a short training period in Maltese language and literature, after which candidates would be able to enrol on the University course. Prof. Cauchi has proposed that candidates could do just that as not many would be in a position to leave their country for the full four years.
Even the application forms, which have been sent to the federation to be distributed to Maltese communities worldwide, were not to its satisfaction.
“In this day and age, one could surely devise a system where applications could be submitted electronically, without specifying such old-fashioned requirements as four copies of the application,” Prof. Cauchi said.
Other plans, stemming from Mrs Cristina’s commitment at the convention, include sending Maltese teachers to “teach the trainers”. The ministry is in the process of formulating the details to issue a call to teachers of Maltese, who want to embark on this experience abroad.
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M. Vassallo
Aug 21st 2010, 06:47
The financial provsion of the Maltese scheme may be small, but see what Goethe schalarships given you to follow courses in German. For a fifteen day full time scholarship you have to pay ALL travel expenses to and within Germany. You get free lodging and tuition and medical insurance. For food, to cover all meals you get €100 for 15 days. If breakfast is provided the amount to cover 15 days of food is reduced to €60! This barely covers a sandwich a day!!! This is the scholarship scheme provided by rich Germany!!!! It is much much less that what the Maltese scheme provides for!!!!
Charles DeMicoli
Aug 21st 2010, 00:31
Well, actually, the newly minted FMLA represents all Maltese living outside of Malta. It's not based solely in Australia. The members of the committee live in different parts of the world. The scheme Xerred il-Malti is well intentioned but the execution needs to be tweaked. There IS a need to keep our language alive. What motivates 2nd and later generations of children of Maltese parent/s to learn Maltese? Is it a need, a passion, a requirement? Finding out more about the intended "market", the program can be adapted to meet those needs. Sometimes, those of us living abroad want our cake and eat it too. If one is driven by passion to learn the language (and customs, culture, traditions, etc.) of his/her ancestors, that person will find a way to learn. There are many means and methods available to reach proficiency in Maltese - whether it is for personal use or to teach it. From my experience in NY, most of those who seek to learn Maltese is to be able to hold a conversation and perhaps read the newspapers. So, thank you, Minster Cristina, it's a good initiative, but please have a second look at the program
Antoinette Mascari
Aug 20th 2010, 17:23
The comments about teaching Maltese in countries beyond the Maltese shores, are not justified. Try to live in a country beyond the Maltese shores, you will appreciate your heritage and language more. None of you know what it is like to live away from your home land without choice. I have unfortunately lived overseas since 1971 and the Maltese language spoken in Malta is very different than the way we used to speak it then, but because of my interest I keep in touch with the Media, so I manage to learn the new version of words. Medical reasons can be one cause of loosing language skills. The generations learning Maltese is because there is a language barrier in the families and these siblings of Maltese parents are now realising that they have missed out on the privilege to communicate with their senior relatives which is a heartache to experience. We teach Maltese not as a hobby but because our students can communicate with their nanniet and they learn to love our heritage and visit Malta. Come, sit in my class and learn what it is like to be one of my students I am proud of them and the parents.
Denis Catania
Aug 20th 2010, 16:01
I fully agree with the Australian-based Federation of Maltese Living Abroad.
Sending to teach the trainers is the best possible way.
Bradly Gainer St.Kilder Mel.
Aug 20th 2010, 13:57
As an Australian i think that the Maltese language over here is not so important as other languages say first and formost Englsih/ Australian, after all the world language is English and no one from other countries are going to converse in Maltese which is all doubel Dutch to us ir as we say Gibberish in a work place.
miriam cassar
Aug 20th 2010, 12:48
Il-Malti jista' jkun dak l-Ilsien Nazzjonali u Ufficjali, ta' pajjiż Demokratiku, illi fl-unika Universita' fid-dinja fejn jista' jiġi mħaddem bis-SĦIĦ, qed jittwarrab għal kollox.
Fil-fehma tas-Senat ta' din Universita, mis-sena d-dieħla se jkun ILLEGALI li jsir it-TAGĦLIM bl-Ilsien Malti fil-Fakultajiet, iċ-Ċentri u l-Istituti kollha tal-Universita ta' Malta.
Franco Farrugia
Aug 20th 2010, 19:01
Sinjura - U jien, li niftahar li nhobb il-Malti, u li l-Malti huwa l-professjoni tieghi, nghidlek li hija decizjoni tajba!
joe felice pace
Aug 20th 2010, 12:04
It might seem strange that I, of all people, post this comment. What a waste of money, I had the occasion to tell a Ministry of Education official recently. The fixation that there is any large number of third generation Maltese who want to learn Maltese is a figment of the imagination. These descendants of Maltese migrants, mainly in their teens or twenties, are integrated in the Anglo-Australian-S.E. Asian culture and Malta for them is a nostalgic place they might visit in search of their roots. But Maltese is of no use to them, except for one or two of the studious type who might come to the University of Malta and go back finding that whatever they learnt is of little use to them and their fellows migrants' descendants. The few so-called teachers of Maltese in Australia are in the main what we call 'dilettanti'. I base this statement on notes prepared by some of them. It is not a question of the scheme dishing out 'a pittance'. It is a question of fact that there is no 'felt-need' for such a scheme except, maybe, in the mind of somebody interested in making some money from the Maltese exchequer.
C.Spiteri
Aug 20th 2010, 11:39
“In this day and age, one could surely devise a system where applications could be submitted electronically, without specifying such old-fashioned requirements as four copies of the application,” Prof. Cauchi said.
When pigs learn to fly, would be the era when a Maltese civil servant would not want to have a 60 page application for a simple request, made in 7 copies where the same information is listed at least 4 times. And to add insult on injury, if one part of the information does not tally exactly to another part, that application is just thrown out, regardless if it would have benefitted the majority of the Maltese.
So I find myself in full agreement with Prof Cauchi and I beleive that the authorities have to take a good look at some of the emperors and empresses that run the government departments, and make them more responsives to the needs of the country.
Mario Tabone-Vassallo
Aug 20th 2010, 09:50
Dinja ta' taht fuq. Mhux ahjar l-ewwel jibdew billi jharsu u jsahhu l-Malti f'Malta, billi, nghidu ahna, juzaw ismijiet Maltin ghal organizzazzjonijiet Maltin, idahhlu l-Malti fis-sit informatiku tal-AirMalta, jinsistu li l-predominanza tax-xandir Malti ikun bil-Malti, u nista' nibqa' sejjer. Bzar fl-ghajnejn hruq biss igib