I refer to the article by Education Minister Evarist Bartolo (‘Convincing instead of convicting’, The Sunday Times of Malta, July 30).
Mr Bartolo, when commenting about certain flaws in the education system, remarked that “it’s not the people who work in the system that are the problem, but the actual structure”.
However true it is that structures suffocate and enslave persons to a system and very often hinder educators from being efficient and effective, from my experience as an ex-educator and head of school, I can conclude that once educators have a vision that focuses on the holistic outlook of the child, however limited the resources are and rigid the system is, one can still reach great heights.
Very often, educators wait for systems and structures to be changed in order to bring about certain innovations. In the meantime students are lost on the way, and we would blame the system.
When I was head of school, and this was more than a decade ago, because we realised that certain students learnt at a slower pace or needed different aids, we introduced support lessons in the three basic subjects, English, Mathematics and Maltese.
We employed support teachers who regularly met these students in small groups and dealt with them according to their respective needs. A programme was tailor-made for them and once the students caught up or mastered the programme they were once again reintegrated with the rest of the class.
Yes, structures need to be changed and adapted according to the needs of the students. But if educators believe in a holistic vision of the child and take it up as their mission, they shall be able, even on their own, to initiate change and make teaching more effective and learning an enjoyable experience.
It is also up to the education authorities and the school management to encourage such changes and offer all the necessary support so that no student is excluded and everyone achieves their full potential.
As the minister rightly concludes: “Absenteeism figures and conviction rates are not the mirrors of uncaring parents, but of a broken education system that fails to aspire and engage young people”.