Education Minister Louis Galea and his Labour counterpart Carmelo Abela were good students overall. However, Ariadne Massa finds out that maths was not their forte... they both got a C.
Louis Galea
Do you remember your first day of school? Did you cry?
I remember my mother taking me to school and telling me that everything would be alright. I knew something important was happening and, although I was happy to be among all those children in the playground, I felt very tense. The school bell rang and my mother had to leave me to face the class alone... that's when I nearly cried. It only lasted a few minutes and then I was back to my normal self.
What did you get in your maths O level? And what was your favourite subject at school?
I only got a C in maths. My favourite subjects were languages and music.
Were you a school prefect or an unruly boy?
I was never a school prefect, neither was I unruly, I was just full of energy. Whenever my mum and dad returned home from parents' day they always had a perplexed look on their face - the first thing they would say is that the teachers thought I was not doing so well and, although I was a good student overall, I could do much better. I got my fair share of punishments too. I am now convinced that a naughty child is a normal child.
Did you ever skive school? And where did you go?
I never skived an entire day. I was happy at school, though I admit I did skive a few lessons.
Where were you in the midst of the 1980s school dispute?
In the thick of it. As Nationalist Party general secretary I was at the forefront of the national battle against the Labour Party's attempt to close down Church schools.
How were you punished when you misbehaved at school?
It depends on what you did. The mildest form of punishment was a copy but there also caning and detention.
Do you feel that, nowadays, as a result of political correctness, children are not being disciplined in schools?
It is not an issue of political correctness. It is a question of competence, personality and school leadership. Most of our schools are well managed and they effectively follow the national guidelines for discipline. Where justified, discipline is appropriately dished out.
What is the University's greatest strength and weakness?
The University's greatest strength is its heritage and the excellent people who continue to make our University one of the best. Its greatest weakness is the territorial attitude that some display.
Do children need private lessons?
A few might need extra tuition but the large majority don't need private lessons and in most cases it does more harm than good. Sometimes, we hear of giving children back their childhood and I do feel that, when private lessons take over, we are robbing children of the precious time they could be dedicating to more creative activities.
How do you plan to tackle illiteracy?
I don't plan to tackle illiteracy, I am doing it already. First of all, illiteracy in Malta is on the decline and it is absolute rubbish when people try to say it's on the increase. Secondly, I think many try to over-simplify the problem. The recent Household Budgetary Survey showed that the literacy rate between those aged 10 to19 is 98.3 per cent, which means that 1.7 per cent are illiterate.
For example, on a cohort of 4,000 10-year-olds this would mean just 68 students. Of course, this number has to be tackled. However, we must understand that this figure of 68 includes children with disabilities, learning difficulties and a myriad of social problems. We will continue to help every student but let us not be naive and assume this issue can be resolved with simple measures such as the ones being proposed by Labour.
Carmelo Abela
Do you remember your first day of school? Did you cry?
I don't remember much and had to consult my mother. She said I always behaved at school and never cried. I can confirm this because, years later, my school friends were surprised that I contested the general election because I was always one of the quietest boys in school.
What did you get in your maths O level? And what was your favourite subject at school?
If I remember correctly I got a C. For me, this was quite an achievement because maths was not one of my strongest subjects, even though I did well in class.
Were you a school prefect or an unruly boy?
I was a class prefect in Form V but this didn't stop me from getting on well with all the different cliques of students.
Did you ever skive school? And where did you go?
No, never.
Where were you in the midst of the 1980s school dispute?
I was attending the Junior Lyceum Mikiel Anton Vassalli, in Qormi. At the time, our school was also affected because some teachers opted to go on strike.
How were you punished when you misbehaved at school?
Once I was sent out of the class, because I sneezed. The thing is that some students were sneezing purposely to disrupt the class and one day the maths teacher laid down that whoever sneezed from that moment on would be sent out. I happened to be sitting in the front bench and, as soon as he finished his sentence, I sneezed and was sent out. I had a really bad cold and, realising I didn't do it on purpose, the teacher called me back five minutes later.
Do you feel that, nowadays, as a result of political correctness, children are not being disciplined in schools?
What happens in schools is a mirror of our society and vice versa. Nowadays, society is less disciplined and there is less respect towards people in authority. Of course, generally speaking, this is witnessed in our schools. We need to consider drastic measures for unruly children who end up disturbing the whole class and, sometimes, the entire school.
What is the University's greatest strength and weakness?
Most of the lecturing staff are good. The fact that the number of students has increased is also positive. Overall, it's a good University. However, the fact that the investment is not made according to the number of students attending is one of its weaknesses. The lack of transparency, when it comes to certain promotions and appointments, and the need for accountability are other issues that need to be tackled. The University needs a clear direction and there has to be more investment in research.
Do children need private lessons?
It depends. Some children may need additional help.
How do you plan to tackle illiteracy?
Illiteracy in Malta is still high, compared to other European countries. We need to tackle this problem at the root. Early childhood and primary education are going to be of utmost importance for a new Labour government. Labour is putting forward a number of proposals to improve education from the early stages, among them the reception class, which will ensure that every child receives the best education possible. This will serve to enhance their preparation for the next stage and facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal set-up of education. This is a success story in a number of European countries. Apart from this, support staff, such as complementary teachers and services to students and their families alike, including educational psychologists, youth and social workers, are of utmost importance if we want to reach all the children.