I thank my parents for having sent me to De La Salle College. In the early 1980s we were lucky to have lateral thinking being taught to us. Prof Edward Debono gave the world a masterpiece that helps us think deeply and see with a different perspective ("laterally").

Lateral thinking is about reasoning that is not immediately obvious and about ideas that may not be obtainable by using simple step-by-step logic. In my opinion, this subject is of utmost important for children, especially when they become adults, as it helps them develop their mind and ability to think creatively, or "outside the box".

At De La Salle I was also lucky because sports and exercise were always given much importance. Current reports have shown that Maltese school-age children excelled in the global obesity scenario. Therefore, I suggest that Physical Education (PE) lessons at school should become a compulsory and daily or nearly daily subject.

The school leaving certificate should not be issued to school leavers unless they have participated in regular physical activity programmes throughout the scholastic years. This does not mean that they have to win any medals or trophies. Only then will parents start pushing their children to take regular exercise and sport more seriously.

Daily physical activity at school also boosts their intellectual abilities. Through play and sports children become more self-confident and stay away from bad and risky habits such as smoking, alcohol, unhealthy diets and violence.

The problem that I visualise however is this: How can such important subjects be introduced in school when school days are so short?

As major subjects such as mathematics, English and Maltese are not thought of as after-school services, so should lateral thinking and regular PE lessons be given their due importance.