Church schools caution against 'knee-jerk reactions' to Pembroke stabbing
Secretariat for Catholic Education and the Church Schools Association urge humane approach
Church schools on Thursday cautioned against knee-jerk reactions to an incident in which a 14-year-old boy allegedly stabbed a schoolmate at St Clare College in Pembroke.
The Secretariat for Catholic Education and the Church Schools Association urged a humane approach to the matter so that schools remain welcoming places of learning.
The 14-year-old boy was charged with attempted murder on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty. Two improvised Molotov cocktail-style explosive devices were found in his schoolbag. His lawyer claims the child was incessantly bullied.
The Pembroke attack prompted calls for tougher security measures in schools, with a former minister suggesting metal detectors and a PN electoral candidate calling for former soldiers to be deployed to schools.
But others have called for a more moderate response: PN education spokesperson Justin Schembri warned against knee-jerk reactions while former president Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca wrote in a Times of Malta opinion piece that "true safety will never come from militarising our schools. It comes from understanding and addressing the emotional struggles that lead a child to lose control in the first place."
The Education Ministry has since appointed a seven-person advisory board led by a top ministry official to make recommendations on how to improve school security and student behaviour management.
On Thursday, the Secretariat for Catholic Education and the Church Schools Association expressed solidarity with the community impacted by the "troubling incident".
They said that while it was understandable that people felt shocked and concerned, this event called for "reflection, careful analysis, and a united commitment to ensuring that schools remain safe, nurturing environments for all".
"We strongly encourage the authorities to adopt a humane, holistic, and educationally sound approach so that schools remain welcoming places of learning and growth, where every student feels respected, protected, supported and appreciated."
They said they stood ready to support all stakeholders in fostering a culture of care, dialogue, and responsibility that addresses challenges at their root rather than resorting to quick fixes that could cause long-term harm to our educational system.