Intervention is required as early as pre-school age, according to education expert Carmel Borg. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Addressing the plight of ‘lost’ youths who sink into oblivion at the end of compulsory education takes much more than pedagogy and requires early intervention at pre-school age, according to an education expert.

“Unfortunately, it is difficult to keep children at school when home and community are in shambles and when schools are not adequately equipped, emotionally and professionally, to provide first-rate services to address their needs,” said Carmel Borg, a curriculum specialist and the former dean of the University of Malta’s Faculty of Education.

He was expressing his views in the wake of a recent report saying that more than 300 16-year-olds disappear from education or employment records every year, as they neither continue studying nor seek employment.

Prof. Borg advocated early intervention through a community-oriented approach, arguing that the root of the problem most of the time lay outside the school premises.

“Trying to address the issue at Form 5 is way too late,” he said, calling for increased focus in childcare centres. At this age potential issues could already be traced.

“Children whose home situations are marked by potential roadblocks to education such as poverty, unemployment in the family and illiteracy need to be supported as early as possible.”

There appears to be a sense of helplessness over the situation on the part of teachers. Malta Union of Teachers vice president Marco Bonnici said they had very limited power as the problem manifested itself once students left school at the age of 16.

He acknowledged that initiatives like the Alternative Learning Programme had achieved a degree of success in luring back students who had been absent for long periods, but cautioned that some cases still proved to be a “hard nut to crack”.

“Forcing students with a long history of absenteeism to return to school won’t necessarily work as the overnight transition might be a bridge too far for them,” said Mr Bonnici.

Malta Employers’ Association director general Joe Farrugia said such cases could be linked to the black economy and chances were that these youths would fall victim to exploitation: “Authorities need to closely monitor such cases to be able to identify any potential problems and take measures accordingly before it is too late.”