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.