Newspapers recently carried a spate of articles on education. On one hand this is great news, as it shows a growing interest in the field, whether it’s calling for better salaries or improved conditions of work, or focusing on educational reform, teacher shortages, the University of Malta Act…

There is a need to focus on deeper issues. Further discussion is warranted on the ‘state of Denmark’ in our profession.

In one way or another, these articles highlight concerns on at least three important issues, namely governance, trust and empowerment.

Frank Fabri, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry for Education and Employment, spoke about ‘exciting days’, of educators who “are hard-working, passionate and genuinely have the well-being and progress of children at heart” (The Sunday Times of Malta, November 12).

Two other articles presented a different journey, a different narrative. One clearly highlighted the realities facing the teaching profession: ‘What teachers want: more than a raise’ (STOM, November 5) and ‘The secret teacher: Educating Maltese kids in an age of under-appreciation’ (The Malta Independent, October 20).

Both present the views of educators who speak volumes of a profession that is not respected, one where teachers are facing the daunting task of not teaching children but addressing myriad concerns that children and their parents bring with them. However, even if we had to put these to one side (which we can’t) we find that teachers are working in environments dictated by others, with distractions being the rule of the day.

Teachers’ conditions of work present us with a disturbing scenario. They are not constantly engaged with children but have their time on task (essential for learning to take place) constantly disrupted by a variety of events. So, instead of the teacher, as a professional, determining the way the learning unfolds, it is events that condition what actually happens.

The initiatives undertaken in the late 1990s with the introduction of school development plans and the Education Act of 2006, which led to the creation of colleges and networked learning, have not materialised. While the aims are laudable it seems that we have not understood the impact that distributed leadership has on adults and on student learning.

Working conditions are an expression of how much we respect a profession. As teachers noted, they have to bring their own water, tea and coffee. In some cases, they do not have adequate space to work in. They also have to spend hundreds of euros on resources.

Much work needs to be done to ensure that students and teachers feel valued

While teachers may, on paper, have short hours and a short calendar year, the conscientious teacher takes work and the problems associated with work home. The fact that teachers do not work office hours does not mean that they are not working over 40 hours a week. The art and science of teaching implies that educators have to spend considerable time reflecting, preparing, correcting and communicating with school leaders, students, parents or guardians and other stakeholders.

Comments about inclusion shed light on concerns we are all familiar with but prefer to remain in denial about rather than voicing our opinion, for fear of being misunderstood or labelled. Educators feel uncomfortable talking about diversity, but such conversations are important, especially given the multicultural context we live in.

None of the educators in the articles expressed how much praise they receive for work done, for efforts to help a child handle a task. We seem to relish a culture of blame rather than praise. The antidote is to focus on the positive and celebrate good practices, giving educators the space and voice to build on them. Where is the empowerment, where is the trust in teachers, the trust that the Finnish Minister of Education spoke about in another article?

I was particularly struck by the minister’s language. Her focus was on a profession that is valued and respected. From her interview with Kenneth Vella (STOM, November 5), it was clear that a sense of empowerment permeates the Finnish education system. Not much is evident in the local context. One hopes that the collective agreement will be built around principles and values such as autonomy, collaboration, trust, governance. These are essential for educators to take ownership of their own learning. Teachers do not need more reforms but a context where they can work together. Over five years ago my colleague Colin Calleja and I wrote in this paper, arguing for greater empowerment of teachers than as it emanates from the schools and colleges. I have been highlighting this since the mid-1980s!

When are we going to learn that we need to create learning environments where teachers are encouraged to give their best, and where they will because their opinions are valued? Let us create the opportunities for schools to develop their own journey, allowing them to grow personally and collectively, to motivate and enthuse each other, not only to map out where they want to go but how to get there. A bit of positive leadership will go a long way to redressing the current situation, which is depressing to say the least.

A recent Lisa Maria Foundation seminar officially opened by the Education Minister (who also endorsed the work of the Foundation on Facebook) presented a word – ‘well-being’ – which we hope will not end up as just another buzzword but be taken seriously. The seminar showed how much work needs to be done to ensure that students and teachers feel valued.

The evidence – and we have a lot of good practices in Malta that confirm this – is clear: when people are trusted, their self-esteem is raised; when they feel good about themselves, they are able to feel good about others and to reach out to them, and altruism is then more likely to be seen.

Heightened trust, self-esteem and interpersonal altruism are strong foundations for better educational institutions, for better societies and from there the creation of a better and safer world.

Christopher Bezzina is deputy dean and Head of the Department of Leadership for Learning & Innovation, Faculty of Education, University of Malta.