A report by the National Audit Office which argued that small primary schools make little financial sense sends a worrying message to all those involved in education as it evidently highlights financial terms above all other considerations, the Malta Union of Teachers said today.
It said that while it appreciated such financial exercises, they by no means present the full picture on which future educational policy decision-making should be based on.
"The NAO, for example, analysed classroom size and its relationship to academic results and to what it called ‘inefficiency’. With due respect to the audit office, this goes beyond a financial audit as holistic education includes much more than academic assessment results and many other aspects that lead to quality education need to be considered as well," the union said.
"Efficiency in terms of cost per student is also unrelated to effective learning and effective school management, both of which cannot be calculated by simply adding the cost and dividing it by the number of students in the school and other simplistic calculations."
It said the audit offed failed to include in its assessment the huge benefits that classes with less populations afford to students in terms of individual support on both academic levels as well as on personal support, things which can hardly be done in huge classes full to the brim with children of many different abilities.
It said subsidiary legislation on national minimum conditions for all provided clear guidelines about standards including minimum classroom space.
"The MUT believes it is high time that such minimum conditions are adhered to as currently there are only a couple of schools which were built according to the criteria of this legislation. Therefore, for more efficient use of resources, the Union believes that better use of current spaces and human resources should be made. It does not make sense, for example in Gozo, to have one school which is full to the brim with children coming from all localities and hardly any space for proper recreation and exercise, while other schools are being allowed to dwindle in population."
The MUT meanwhile notes that earlier this year the Minister for Education and Employment stated that mega-schools no longer fit a modern educational approach and stressed the importance of having smaller schools with a community-feel, which led to better learning and improved behaviour. The Union hopes that such an approach is strengthened for the benefit of all concerned because education is not just instruction for examinations but also educating for life.
The report found that the operational cost per student at San Lawrenz primary school during scholastic year 2013/2014 was €9,000 a year, almost three times the national average.
The school, which can take 150 students, has a student population of just 43 across all year groups leading to very small class sizes.
A similar situation was recorded in neighbouring Għarb, which had a student population of 74 even though the school is capable of handling 170 students.