Updated: 'Anxiety' over lack of information on schools closure - Bartolo
Information sessions have started - ministry
Updated - Adds Education Ministry's comments
The Ministry of Education is planning to close down 13 schools in the coming years, but parents and teachers have still not been informed of alternative arrangements, Opposition education spokesman Evarist Bartolo said in a statement this afternoon.
Such lack of consultation, he said, was creating anxiety and demoralisation.
Mr Bartolo said plans were in hand to close the girls' secondary schools at Cospicua, Tarxien, Hamrun, St Andrew's and Rabat as well as the boys' secondary schools in Vittoriosa, Floriana, Marsa, Zebbug, Gzira, Mtarfa, Birkirkara and Paola.
Mr Bartolo said no one was being told where the new schools to replace them would be.
He said that over the past years, there had been cases where two schools replaced an old one while no new schools replaced other schools which were in disrepair.
It was worrying, he said, that secondary schools were continuing to grow in an exaggerated manner and teachers and students were becoming anonymous numbers instead of an educational community of people who knew each other.
The Labour MP also complained that work on a new syllabi for secondary school students in the wake of the removal of the Junior Lyceum exams, had fallen back. Teachers' training as part of this change had also fallen back, he said.
EDUCATION MINISTRY'S REPLY
The Ministry of Education said that as new schools are built, old schools can be phased out.
It said that Mr Bartolo was misleading the public when he stated that no one was being told where the new schools to replace them would be.
After extensive and in depth consideration of the available spaces, the facilities needed, population trends and other relevant factors, the Ministry of Education and the Education Directorates finalised the composition of secondary schools. As from next year, a number of schools will start to be phased out, as the new schools started to be built and delivered, the ministry said.
"No school will close suddenly, but there will be a gradual phasing out of the new and phasing in with new buildings or with refurbished schools."
The ministry said that information sessions have already started and Mr Bartolo was "more than aware" that individual sessions had been held with each College Council of Heads so as to inform them of the changes that would start to be implemented in their College. Heads of School were now informing their staff of the changes that would occur as from next scholastic year. Meetings with parents would be held in the coming weeks. Students would also be informed and prepared for the changes by the school’s career guidance team.
The ministry pointed out that for many years there had been schools with a student population of over 1,000. This would no longer be the case in the future.
"It is clearly understood that student population cannot be too large so as to keep student personal contact, while on the other hand schools cannot be too small. Small schools do not offer a healthy environment in the secondary sector, as this would affect setting and subject options would be too limited. Small schools would also necessitate more sharing of human resources, mainly teachers, causing great discomfort to staff having to travel from one school to another. Therefore, it is crucial that we strike the right balance for the benefit of all concerned," the ministry said,
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C. Spiteri
Nov 22nd 2010, 20:08
Pls. be informed that there is no technology Education and workshops but Design and Technology and Laboratories. These have been equipped with high quality tools and modern equipment such as vacuum formers and line benders. Computer aided machines are installed in some of the schools.- Laser cutting/engraver, cnc router, 12 needle embroidery machine etc
C Schembri
Nov 22nd 2010, 20:53
true facts...
C. Schembri
Nov 22nd 2010, 18:44
Seemingly Evarist Bartolo is exagerating the matter by including schools which are known to as being phased out in the coming years. I can easily recall those of Vittoriosa and Floriana which have stopped accepting new students over the last 3-4 years. Floriana has only Form5 students and Vittoriosa has Form 4 & Form 5's. Thus no students will be transfered from one school to another. I am also aware that Marsa, Mtarfa and Cospiqua should be doing the same. I'm not sure about the others, but I believe that a similar approach will be adopted. As for C.Camilleri's comment re. technology Education equipment, I believe that most of these schools (at least the ones mentioned above) have equipment which dates back to trade schools. There is relatively little new equipment, because investment has been made in other schools. Still, one can easily tranfer any useful equipment from one school to another (as there still remain schools which require particular equipment).
C.Camilleri
Nov 22nd 2010, 20:17
The equipment / machinery in question is not that which was used in Trade Schools, but purchased for the Technology Education lessons purpose. Although the equipment can be transferred to other sites, the electrical installations done together with a number of soffits in a number of these schools' classrooms and workshops cannot . Food Technology Workshops complete with floor and wall tiling were also done, which surely these also cannot be shifted to other places This means people's money down the drain.
C Schembri
Nov 22nd 2010, 20:58
C.Camilleri: Yes, Food Technology workshops are more difficult to transfer. Though, do keep in mind that the number of these rooms is very minimal. Furthermore, if these classes were not equipped with the necessary equipment (for a short term period), then students in this minority of schools would not have had the educative opportunity as students of other schools.
R.Camilleri
Nov 22nd 2010, 18:24
Sur.Spiteri thallatx affarijiet li maghandhomx x'jaqsmu mas-suggett. Kun sincier ma' l-istudenti, l-genituri u l-ghalliema flimkien mal-Kapijiet ta' dawn l-iskejjel. Taf il-ghala qed tithaddet hekk, ghax m'intix wiehed mill-ghalliema jew ghandek xi tifel jew tifla ghalliem/a jew student f'dawn l-iskejjel. Hemm bzonn inkunu aktar accountable ta' dak li nghidu u nghamlu mhux naqtu ghad dritt qisna lebsien xi kappestru taz-zwiemel. b'nuccali ghad dritt.
J.Tonna
Nov 22nd 2010, 18:23
Either Mr Bartolo rushed to criticise or he is fishing for infomation which, I am sure, the minister will give in due time.
A.Busuttil
Nov 22nd 2010, 18:18
R.Spiteri what this had to do with this? I am not surprised that the Hon .Minister will not reply because ,you only interestead in the past. Keep dreaming
C.Camilleri
Nov 22nd 2010, 18:05
Jista l-Ministeru ta' L-Edukazzjoni jghidilna x'ippjanar sar fil-qasam ta' L-Edukazzjoni meta ntefqu tant flus fil-workshops ta' Technology Education u l-equipment li jmur maghhom f'dawn it-tlettax il-skola? Dan zgur se' jgib frustrazzzjoni fost l-ghalliema kif ukoll fl-Amministraturi ta' dawn l-iskejjel barra li ma'ridhux ninsew l-istudenti u l-genituri taghhom. X'Ma jkollniex Deficit f'dan il-pajjiz meta qed ikollna daqs dan sparpaljar ta' flus fiex xejn. No good Homework is being done by all concerned in the majoritry of all the Departments.
R Spiteri
Nov 22nd 2010, 16:40
@ Evarist Bartolo
Parents were much more worried when you removed the stipends of students and introduced loans. Do you regret it?
Parents were much more worried when you worked hard not to allow Malta join the EU? Do you regret it?
Parents were worried when you came up with the brilliant idea of the repeater class! Do you regret it?
R.Camilleri
Nov 22nd 2010, 18:22
Sur.Spiteri thallatx affarijiet li maghandhomx x'jaqsmu mas-suggett. Kun sincier ma' l-istudenti, l-genituri u l-ghalliema flimkien mal-Kapijiet ta' dawn l-iskejjel. Taf il-ghala qed tithaddet hekk, ghax m'intix wiehed mill-ghalliema jew ghandek xi tifel jew tifla ghalliem/a jew student f'dawn l-iskejjel. Hemm bzonn inkunu aktar accountable ta' dak li nghidu u nghamlu mhux naqtu ghad dritt qisna lebsien xi kappestru taz-zwiemel. b'nuccali ghad dritt.
g. debattista
Nov 22nd 2010, 16:23
at last... somebody is aware of our concerns and worries. In rabat, that is St Nicolas College all secondary schools are either phasing out and closing down. Which secondary schools are our children going to attend?? Colleges were set up according to the catchment area. Shouldnt we parents be informed?? we ask at the primary schools and they either do not know or do not want to give away such secret!!
l fenech
Nov 22nd 2010, 16:16
Tajjeb lucky 13 Sur Ministru jew bad luck.