The draft national curriculum framework proposes healthy changes in the way sciences will be taught in secondary school but fails to address post-secondary and tertiary levels, according to the Science Students’ Society.

The society, which represents students within the University’s Faculty of Science, said the faculty had not been consulted on the matter and proposed extending the consultation period that closed this year.

The society was reacting to the consultation document entitled A Vision For Science Education in Malta that forms part of the draft curriculum.

It welcomed the outlook proposed in the curriculum that sought to develop a more complete understanding and appreciation of science subjects.

Despite this, there was a certain lack of concreteness. A primary concern was the lack of specification on how the transition from ordinary level to advanced and intermediate level education would actually be made once the proposed reforms were implemented.

When considering that most science students achieved their final qualifications before entering the working world at tertiary level, it would be sensible to consult the relevant entities to gauge what the requirements were for achieving successful science education, it said.

“It is unfortunate that, as apparent from the consultation document, neither were any members of staff from the Faculty of Science nor current individuals from the science student body involved in the compilation of said document,” the society said.