After school activities for children will benefit the children who will expand their creative and social skills and will also allow more women to remain active in the labour market.
Such activities should be offered all around the island and be on a voluntary basis for teachers, parents and children, according to Renee Laiviera who chairs the Malta Confederation of Women’s Organisations.
The confederation organised a half-day conference today to kick-start a national discussion on the introduction of introducing activities that would not be focused around academic subjects but creative and recreational ones like art, crafts, music, sports and homework assistance.
Employer and union representatives present welcomed the introduction of after school activities to encourage women to remain active in the employment market while instilling children with diverse skills.
John Bencini, president of the Malta Union of Teachers, noted that according to the 2010 collective agreement children in primary schools had 27.5 hours a week of formal learning which increased to 29 in secondary school.
While there were no plans to change this, with regards to formal learning, he suggested drawing up a memorandum of understanding and meeting with the responsible authorities to find a solution to create after school activities.
“If government sees a common front might work faster,” he said.
He also suggested setting up a pilot project in one school within each of the 10 colleges.
During the discussion, parents expressed concern over excess homework that was not allowing their children to “know how to play any more”. Teachers said they had pressure from some parents to give them homework.
A mother of three – Annick Bonello Cassar – shared her experience about the challenges faced by parents who wanted to work.
School children had about 80 full days off when parents only had 24 days of leave each.
Other problems were the late opening time and early closing times of some schools that were not compatible with working hours.
Lydia Sciberras, a grandmother of four and retired teacher, plays her part to help her two daughters maintain their jobs. She spoke about the tiring days she faces when she has to pick up her grandchildren from different schools at different times then help them with their homework that was at times excessive.