The Ministry of Education has announced the opening of a National Sport School. The announcement states: “The National Sport School – St Benedict College, will open its doors for the first time as from the beginning of the next scholastic year, in September 2012. This is the first school of its kind in Malta, where sports training and academic education will coexist harmoniously.

“In this way, students who have a big potential of succeeding in a sporting discipline will be given greater opportunities to specialise in sport from a young age, without missing out on the normal academic studies provided in secondary schools.

“The aim of the National Sport School is to lead its students to a dual career path, namely an education which ensures success in sport as well as in working life. An information meeting will be held for parents of children born in 2001 or who have just completed their sixth year of primary education, where further details will be provided.”

How will the ministry ensure that “sports training and academic education will coexist harmoniously”? Why are children’s sports abilities not the only criterion for admission? Will such an opportunity again be a closed door for students with specific learning difficulties, such as ADHD, ADD, Dyslexia, Asperger Syndrome and Dyscalculia? Will the teaching and assessment procedures harmoniously cater for such children?

Will academic examination marks leave children out? Will literacy be another ban for children who are excellent in sports but have difficulty accessing print? When will we learn?

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.