[attach id=252899 size="medium"]Three international studies found Maltese students lacked analytical and reflective skills. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli[/attach]
A culture change that embraces University, schools, teachers and parents is needed to address student deficiencies identified by international studies, according to a college principal.
Frank Fabri, head of the state St Theresa College and designate director of the Education Department’s research and development unit, said “a serious stocktake of the situation” was needed.
He was reacting to comments by a former University education dean, who called the system “quasi-irrelevant”.
These remarks came in the wake of results from three international studies that found Maltese students lacked analytical and reflective skills.
Dr Fabri said students scored well on information but poorly on higher order cognitive skills.
He acknowledged that school syllabi are still focused on content delivery rather than skills development. But this will change with the adoption of the new national curriculum, he added.
“Things have changed but the two questions are: have they changed fast enough and has change gone far enough? I am an optimist because the new curriculum shifts the focus on to skills.”
Sr Doreen Cuschieri, headmistress at St Dorothy’s senior school Żebbuġ, agreed with the criticism but insisted the educational system has changed over the past 20 years.
“Although our children are still taught in a rudimentary way, change has been happening gradually. It has happened slowly but surely and we cannot expect change to be fast enough,” she said.
Dr Fabri said a holistic culture change was needed that traversed all levels of the education system from university to the classroom.
Research also showed that some of the problems had roots in the children’s socio-economic background. “What happens at home clearly affects their performance at school and this is why we have to adopt a national strategy,” Dr Fabri said.
However, Sr Doreen was less concerned about the impact of students’ socio-economic background.
“It does play a part but today schools help to reduce the differences,” she said.
“At school we provide computers that children can use if they do not have access to one at home.
“But the socio-economic status of families has improved and it could be more a question of whether they know how to use what they have.”
The research and development department disseminated the results of the studies, which were concluded last year.
Dr Fabri said the department held talks with heads and assistant heads of State, Church and independent schools and the meetings, including with teachers, will continue.
“The ultimate aim is to improve children’s skills, not to do better in these tests next time around,” Dr Fabri said.