Updated: Education Ministry explains strategy behind educational reforms
An explanation into the strategy being adopted for educational reforms was given by the government this evening, after the Malta Union of Teachers earlier torday urged the education authorities to clarify uncertainties faced by teachers ahead of reforms due to come in over the coming months.
MUT President John Bencini said at a press conference that the union backed the reforms, but it was concerned that teachers were being kept in the dark over their implementation.
The Education Ministry said in a statement that education was the government’s priority and 1,000 new people were employed in thesector in the past three years
It said that in the past five years training in basic skills was being given. This training generally lasted a scholastic year – three hours a week. Applications were always issued a year early so that schools would be able to plan.
A total of 27 consultative meetings on benchmarking were held with all teachers and the parents of sixth year church, state and independent school students.
Decisions were taken after a consultation process and dialogue between the three sectors. All church and independent schools are to implement the system except for four schools. This meant that there would be 91.7 per cent of sixth year students in three sectors who would be benchmarked.
The educational authorities had also set up a working group which drew up a document for national consultation. This was to be embarked upon in the coming weeks. New syllabi were being created for Form 1 to reach students of different abilities. It was true that heads of departments and educational officers were working on these syllabi.
A pilot project on the teaching of vocational subjects involving 20 teachers who voluntarily offered to teach the subjects was also currently taking place.
Other measures were also being undertaken and the educational directorates were also considering the recommendations made by those attending an MUT Forum, as well as other recommendations.
Mr Bencini said this morning that teachers were raising many questions on the revision of the national minimum curriculum, the new syllabus for Form One, the benchmarking exercise and how mixed ability classes would work.
Clarification of these and other issues was vitally important for the teachers, who would be at the vanguard of the reforms, he stressed.
Mr Bencini said that the long-awaited evaluation of the Colleges system had also not seen the light of day yet, despite its importance.
He expressed concern that too many things were being done at the same time, saying this might stretch resources, even though the changes were ultimately expected to be beneficial. These included the drawing up of new minimum curricula, new syllabi, the introduction of vocational subjects and the new school-leaving certificate.
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anna Cassar
Mar 24th 2011, 23:41
I must have a different understanding of the word 'consultation' There was absolutely no consultation! All one has to do is ask the parents and teachers whether they were really and truly consulted and whether they are prepared for this new system at all! The meetngs were merely informative where the people attending were given a spoonfed illustration of the merits of the system. We want to see the substance, we want to see reports of how this system fared when tested if it was tested at all. Mr Bencini is right, for some reason things were done in a hurry and this does not auger well at all. Things were done in a hurry and I personally thank the four church and independent schools who despite pressure put on them to participate took the wise decision to opt out in the best interest of our children. That was a wise decision indeed . We do not agree with all this hurry and are seeking a true and serious debate on the subject please join us, like the page and comment:-
http://www.facebook.com/pages/NO-to-the-inclusion-of-Church-Private-Schools-in-the-Benchmark-Exercise/186081708095771
Joseph V. Grech
Mar 24th 2011, 22:58
I believe that the education system in Malta - at primary and secondary levels - is in a quandary. There is much uneasiness, uncertainty about. What's the situation regarding the ''National Minimum Curriculum'' - remember all the fuss when that appeared a long time ago?
Many Primary school teachers complain that too many ''new'' ancillary subjects have been introduced (Is ''creative thinking or something like that still being taught? Consequently crucially important subjects like Reading, Writing. Maths may be suffering as a result. Illiteracy remains high unfortunately.
We have been through the ''Colleges'' euphoria. But, exactly WHAT are the benefits for the children? I am still not quite convinced that that was a step in the right direction. Are school heads playing fiddle to the watching College Principals? There are School Development Plans and rightly so. But is there an Education Development Plan and if so, who exactly, is responsible for it? The Hon. Minister?
School headteachers need all the support they can get; is such support really available to them from the Education Division? I doubt that.
A Muscat
Mar 24th 2011, 22:42
Ms Fenech wrote "L-istreaming ilu sentejn li spicca u t-teachers daqshekk ilhom jghallmu tfal b'mixed abilities." Yes but only in primary schools. Streaming is still done in Junior Lyceums. As for schools being inclusive, it depends what you understand by that. The present syllabi are only for students who can study hard & memorize everything and who are capable of sitting for Matsec exams successfully. The syllabi are no good for weak students, so in this sense the present academic system is NOT inclusive. Regarding setting, yes it is another form of streaming and a very necessary one for the core subjects. The new curriculum is student centred and will help all students learn at their own pace.
Fenech M D
Mar 26th 2011, 13:45
I agree with you 100%
A Muscat
Mar 26th 2011, 18:36
Thankyou for agreeing with me, Mrs Fenech. I was stating the same facts that my colleague Andreana was trying to explain. Both of us have worked on the new syllabus and it is student-friendly. Your daughter who is dyslexic will find that the new method will be dynamic and different to what she is used to - it will help her learn by herself and through her classmates while supervised by her teacher.
C. Muscat
Mar 24th 2011, 21:00
@andreana
Whereas you might impress someone who has no idea of what is going on with the reform, let me tell you I am not impressed
So you did one of the units?
Good!! How about telling everyone about the old Irish guy who is supervising the process.
Tell us why the HODs have not been supplied with any clear guide lines on how these units are supposed to be done.
Tell us how many times this guy decided to change the specifications of these units.
By the way did you REALLY GET the EUR 70? Because all the HODs I know have not been paid. Actually their EOs have not even committed that they are going to be paid.
BTW EUR70 is peanuts considering how often the Irish supervisor is changing things round.
Andreana I suggest you to have a good chat with your colleagues...
andreana attard
Mar 25th 2011, 18:12
You just don't get it, do you? Your way of thinking has to be professional. Grow up, mister.
Caruana P
Mar 24th 2011, 20:52
Dear all,
Please keep in mind that our children are NOT guinea pigs .... please stop experimenting with their education! PLEASE!
Thank you
Deborah Webster
Mar 24th 2011, 18:45
This clip from TED is worth seeing, which was also shared with the participants of TEDxValletta in February this year. Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we're educating our children. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence. In this talk, Sir Ken Robinson makes the case for a radical shift from standardised schools to personalised learning -- creating conditions where kids' natural talents can flourish.
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.html
http://www.facebook.com/TEDxValletta
Fenech M D
Mar 24th 2011, 18:27
Quote: A total of 27 consultative meetings on benchmarking were held with all teachers and the parents of sixth year church, state and independent school students.
Dawn il-laqghat saru l-ewwel mat-teachers u wara lil parents - tal-kulleggi kollha ta Malta u Ghawdex. B' hekk telghu 27. Ahna bhala parents kellna 2 laqghat, wiehed ix-xahar l-iehor u l-iehor din il-gimgha. Tant hu hekk li min qed jaghmel il laqghat qed jitlob ghas suggerimenti
li ghad iridu jiddiskutuhom.
Fl-opinjoni tieghi kollox qed isir bl-ghaggla ghax qed jindunaw li biex jatwaw l-affarijiet li qed jghidu li jridu jsiru fi klassijiet li ghandhom mixed abilities, it-teachers ser ikollhom bicca xoghol iebsa.
Christian Sciberras
Mar 25th 2011, 01:53
That is not the truth. Not all parents were consulted..
Fenech M D
Mar 26th 2011, 13:47
I agree with you Mr Sciberras
Last Tuesday we had a meeting about the Component of the exam. Most parents knew about this meeting by word of mouth.
J. Formosa
Mar 24th 2011, 17:20
MUT, Bencini % Co. stop moaning. You don't represent teachers anymore. For a meeting you called for all the MUT members (around 7,000) to discuss education reforms there were only about 25 people present. So how can you say that the questions raised during this meeting are those of the majority when you heard only 25 people, the usual ones who normally attend all meeting and moan and moan and moan....
Fenech M D
Mar 24th 2011, 18:17
Mr Formosa, are you seriously suggesting that MUT ignores what the teachers are telling it?
Have you attended these meeting yourself?
Have you any children who are sitting for the Benchmarking exams? Can you explain to me how can these children prepare themselfves in the following three months for the coming exams?
andreana attard
Mar 24th 2011, 16:53
Also: the new curriculum is aiming to include ALL students, whatever level they are. This means the end of streaming. Each unit (or group of lessons) has to reach about 4 levels of academic achievement - these levels are commonly called level descriptors. It's going to be difficult teaching unstreamed classes (mixed ability) because in one class you might have students who can barely write, other who are average, some above average and quite possibly though uncommon, a super-brilliant student, all put into one group. It's going to be really tough on everyone, so i can understand why teachers are reluctant to brace these changes. It's going to require some serious preparation on the teachers' part.
Fenech M D
Mar 24th 2011, 18:07
Part 1 @Ms Attard
1 L-istreaming ilu sentejn li spicca u t-teachers daqshekk ilhom jghallmu tfal b'mixed abilities
2 Jien parent ta' tifla li qeghda Year 6. Ilna 3 snin nafu li kellha tibda sistema gdida ta ezamijiet. Int jidhirlek li huwa fair fuq it-teachers, l-istudenti u l-parents li xahar ilu jghidulek bit-tibdiliet li jridu jsehhu? Tigix tghidli li kellhom is-sillabu u li ilhom jiehdu t-training, ghax allura ghalfejn saghtejn qabel ma jkollna l-laqgha ahna (l-parents), jlaqqghu lit-teachers u lil Heads?
Fenech M D
Mar 24th 2011, 18:08
Part 2
3. It-tifla tieghi hija dyslexic u fl-ezamijiet jkollha reader, prompter u l-extra time. Jidhirlek li huwa tajjeb li jigi xi hadd jghidlek li fl-ezamijiet mhux ser ikollha reader (l-extra time huwa mizjud diga u t-teacher li tkun in charge tal-klassi ser tkun il-prompter). Dan biex jiehdu 'snapshot' tal-affarijiet li tghallmet fil-Primarja. Id-dizabbilta li ghandha m'ghandiex x'taqsam assulutament xejn mal-affarijiet li tghallmet. Jekk tfal bhat-tifla tieghi jitnehhilhom ir-reader, meta (jekk) jirnexxilhom jaqraw it-text a. jew ikun ilu xi siegha li spicca l-ezami jew b taqliblek is-sens tal-istorja ta taht fuq. Jekk int ghalliema taf x'jien nghid.
4. Qal tajjeb Mr Bencini li t-teachers qed jithallew fl-ghama. Tant hu hekk li meta ahna l-genituri mmorru laqghat u nitolbu sites fejn nistghu infittxu aktar informazzjoni jaghtuk sites, imma jitolbuk tistenna ftit sakemm tigi updejtjatha. Jekk kollox huwa lest, kif l-informazzjoni ghad trid tigi updejtjatha?
Fenech M D
Mar 24th 2011, 18:11
Part 3
5 L-istreaming vera spicca fil-Primarja, imma ser jibda fis-sekondarja, ghax il-benchmarking ghalhekk ser iservu biex it-tfal jitqassmu skond l-abiltajiet taghhom fl-Ingliz, Malti u Matematika meta jmorru fis-sekondarja.
m busuttil
Mar 24th 2011, 18:18
Quote: "Also: the new curriculum is aiming to include ALL students, whatever level they are. This means the end of streaming."
As far as I know curriculum has been aiming to include ALL students for the last 40 years!
And in case you haven't noticed yet, Ms.Andreana inclusion has been practised in our schools for the last two decades.
The aim of the current reform was to do away with selective exams (JL exams) and abolish streaming.
JL exams are out, but incredibly children will have to sit for even more exams.
Streaming was supposed to be abolished but now we have SETTINGS - and as you can guess the word SETTING is another kind of streaming - but still STREAMING!
Mary Lou
Mar 25th 2011, 07:21
Jekk minix sejra zball ghal dawk li jbatu tfal min problema jew ahjar biex inkun cara is-soltu waqt l-ezamijiet kien ikollhom reader suppost qed jinqataw formoli lil-genituri biex jigu iffirmati.,biex wara jmorru l education u jkunu jistghu jezzminaw l- kas ta'kull studenta qed nghid hekk ghax dil gimgha stess walitli l- formo;a jien qed nghid ghal dawk it-tfal li kienu jew ghadhom immorru cdau unit u min hemm hareg rapport iddettaljat kif ukoll spld unit.
Joe E Galea
Mar 25th 2011, 08:06
@Andreana Attard: If you are one of those involved in the removal of streaming or any other new strategy which you fantasize on, then you should be exiled with the rest of those geniuses who with their crap are ruining the education system. Most probably you don't know what teaching entails and you just base your wisdom on theories and sytstem which most probably have failed when implemented in other countries.
andreana attard
Mar 24th 2011, 16:22
Teachers have been asked to contribute their ideas on how to develop units by producing resources. Each person is paid 70 euros per unit. I did one unit, have applied to do a second one. Many of my colleagues were reluctant to apply, saying they prefer developing their own resources and not sharing what they have.
J.Mifsud
Mar 24th 2011, 19:53
Can you inform us when this happened, or as I asked earlier are you one of the chosen few?
G. Camilleri
Mar 24th 2011, 14:53
Dear Ms Adrenana Attard. You just not know what you are talking about! You dont seem to be a teacher.
andrenana attard
Mar 24th 2011, 14:42
It's not true - teachers are not being kept in the dark re new curriculum. They have been invited to participate by contributing to its development. The teachers are too frightened of the changes and are keeping back from asking and contributing their ideas. They are resisting it.
J.Mifsud
Mar 24th 2011, 14:53
It seems that you are one of the chosen few. All teachers I know don't know how the reforms are going to be carried out. They only learn what is happening when their students are affected and it's too late to complain.
Franco Farrugia
Mar 24th 2011, 15:36
In other words, you claim that it's the teachers who are being the obstacle. Great! Are you a teacher yourself? I doubt it.
J. Camilleri
Mar 24th 2011, 13:33
Nahseb punt importanti hafna huwa li din ir-reforma mhux qeda biss ghat-teachers, pero ghall-genituri ukoll.
Nahseb il-genituri/sistema (qed nitkellem in-generali) qed titfa hafna piz u responsabbilita zejda fuq it-teachers. Donnhom ser jaghmlu l-mirakli wehidhom. Nahseb l-edukazzjoni trid tibda id-dar, titkompla l-iskola, u terga tispicca id-dar.
Il-birah samjt fuq l-ahbarijiet li jkun tajjeb kieku l-iskola tibda aktar kmieni u tispicca aktar tard! Imsieken it-tfal taghna!!! Minflok joqoghdu id-dar migbura mal-familja, johrogu aktar kmieni mid-dar u jibqaw barra aktar tard!! Fejn hija r-rsponsabillita tal-genituri!
Bhalissa kulhadd hsiebu biex il-mara tohrog tahdem. Min meta l-mara harget tahdem, nahseb kien hemm hemm hafna punti negattivi. It-tfal taghna meta jmorru lura d-dar, qed issibu lil xi hadd mill-genituri ghas-support li ghandhom bzonn!!
Tgerfux aktar!
V.Borg
Mar 24th 2011, 13:56
Mr Camilleri, il-hajja inbidlet u ma ghadniex fil-medjuevu!
Il-mara tahdem fid-dinja ilha min zmien WW1, ahna zammejna l-idejha ta 'tradizjoni' li illum ma hiex komda aktar. Probabli bl-istess ragunament tieghek l-ulied ma jarawx lil missierhom, ghax biex ilehhaq irid jahdem part time! Hallina ta' ...
Personali IVA l-problema ahna hloqnija ghax lil uliedna qed nimlewhom min ckunithom b'teoriji u studju esagerat, mentri l-praticita, l-kreativita u logika xorta fqira baqhet. Ghaliex dan l-istress kollha fuq uliedna l-anqas li kulhadd ha jilhaqq xi xjenzat tan-NASA!
Min kellu esperjenza jitghallem u kuntat fi skejjel barra tinduna li l-atitudni u l-praticita hija differenti immens ... inutli nkomplu nisqhu imma qed narmaw l-uliedna qieshom harddisk ta super computer imma jekk ma tafasx buttuna ma johrog xejn ghax mhumiex kapaci jimxu wehidhom!!!!!
PJ Xerri
Mar 24th 2011, 13:28
Shouldn't MUT take a leading role and inform its members about the education reforms that it says it is backing ? Why should MUT always rely on the authorities ? Bil-haqq din m'ghandix x'taqsam mal-pagi u l-perkacci!
J.Mifsud
Mar 24th 2011, 14:57
The authorities are keeping hush about everything, MUT and teachers in general are not being informed about anythingt. Sometimes it seems that decisions are being taken at the eleveth hour, without any planning. This has nothing to do with wages, it has to do with the education of our children.
Franco Farrugia
Mar 24th 2011, 15:21
Ghaliex? Int ghandek xi union li ma tharisx ukoll lejn il-'pagi u l-perkacci'?
Int ma taghtix kaz tal-'pagi u l-perkacci' jew tahdem ghall-imhabba t'Alla u tal-proxxmu?
Union m'ghandhiex dritt li thares ukoll lejn il-'pagi u l-perkacci'?
U ghaliex ghandha tkun il-Union li tinforma lill-membri taghha fuq ir-riformi? Mhux l-awtoritajiet qed igibuhom ir-riformi?
Fi kliem iehor, turix kemm taf.
c.camilleri
Mar 24th 2011, 18:25
@ P.J. Xerri.
'St.Benedict College' - Kirkop should have been a pilot school from where after the necessary evaluation of the outcomes the other Colleges/ Schools had to follow. Has any one seen an evaluation report, because by to-day I haven't. I feel that all changes are being imposed without little preparation of the teaching staff . Now we wait and see the end result of these changes after the end of a Primary School child ( Year 3 - 6) and Secondary School Child from Form 1 to 5 and compare the students with the past system.