An EU report on inclusive education in Malta has called for an in-depth nationwide discussion on the concept to bring about a review in policy and legislation.
In the audit, the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education called for a radical mind shift from a charity-based model, which leads to dependency, to a human rights approach.
“We need to be looking at it from a different view – that education is a right and not because we pity them,” Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said when he presented the report.
The agency also highlighted that inclusive education was not only the teachers’ responsibility but that of schools and policymakers, he added.
Following a request by the Education Ministry, it reviewed the education system, consulted with stakeholders and gathered information through an anonymous, online survey.
It recommended setting up a national training body for educators and ensuring support was provided to schools to develop a curriculum to engage all learners using evidence-based assessment.
Support had to be refocused to increase the capacity of colleges and schools to meet the needs of all learners, the report recommended. Also, self-review at all system levels should be promoted.
The report highlighted three critical levers as essential action in the short term. There should be an audit of current resources to see how they could be better used. Pilot projects should be developed to examine the inclusive teaching methods and learning approaches.
It also called for the development of a stakeholder platform to discuss key issues for inclusive education.
A long-term approach to policymaking was needed to reduce fragmentation with clear roles and responsibilities while providing support at all levels.
Heads of schools, teachers and learning support assistants had to be given ongoing training in inclusive education to reach out to all children and improve their academic and social learning.
Mr Bartolo said the report would be released for feedback, followed by implementation. Inclusion was key to the education system succeeding.
“We have taken stock of what we have to see how to move forward – the concept of inclusion has to be clarified to include everyone: high flyers, gay children, migrant children and those who are hard to reach”.
He pointed out that it was an ambitious project. “Inclusion doesn’t come naturally as you have to work on it but we want to reach out to all children,” Mr Bartolo said.
The document is available online at www.education.gov.mt. Feedback can be submitted until the end of March via feedback.mede@gov.mt.