Editorial: Fixing our broken education system

Our education system is fundamentally broken. And it won’t heal on its own. We are forcing students to learn through outdated methods, evaluating them based on rote memorisation rather than meaningful learning, and then expecting them to choose careers that serve the country’s economy.

But what about their personal development? What about their happiness?

The numbers speak for themselves. More than 30% of students entering the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) need to be taught basic skills they should have already learned in secondary school. This was recently highlighted by Edel Cassar, director of strategy implementation at MCAST.

This follows reports that one in every five students sitting for core O level exams in mathematics, English or Maltese is failing.

For years, education experts have called for a fundamental review of how we teach students. They have emphasised the importance of engaging students from an early age and training teachers to use relational, student-centred and participatory approaches, steering away from outdated authoritarian methods.

Yet, Malta remains one of the few EU countries that places such heavy emphasis on final exams, a system that, experts argue, does not foster meaningful learning.

Teachers are assessed on whether they complete the curriculum but little attention is paid to the actual educational outcomes: Did students genuinely learn or did they simply find a way to pass – or fail – the exam?

What are students actually learning? How much focus is there on teaching critical thinking, problem-solving and what are now known as transversal skills – such as empathy and adaptability – skills that are best developed through experiential learning?

In a world full of distractions and misinformation, are we truly preparing them as best we can? Kevin J. Borg, director general of Malta Employers, underlined the urgent need for transversal skills, which can be applied across a wide range of jobs.

“They give you the power to adapt in a world that changes rapidly,” he said during a recent event on education reform.

Ian Mifsud, director general at the Secretariat for Catholic Education, questioned why children are made to choose academic paths as early as age 11. He argued that reforms have failed to address such core issues because the system is “politically loaded”.

Educators also spoke about how politicians repeatedly introduced new systems, such as work-based learning or digital-based learning, without giving enough support to teachers, who were then left burnt out and struggling to meet shifting targets.

But education should not be about hitting targets. Students must be at the centre of every decision and teachers must be trained to support this approach in a constantly evolving world.

This applies to all students, including those with disabilities, who are often forgotten after the age of 16, when compulsory education ends and they are funnelled into care centre-style options.

We are failing to prepare our children for the next stage of their education, let alone the workforce.

However, there are signs of hope. Cassar pointed out that 17% of students who entered MCAST at lower levels managed to graduate with a higher qualification. Second chances are possible.

But we have heard this all before. What’s missing is action.

It is time for an independent commission, backed by bipartisan support, to review the health of our educational system and define a long-term action plan to improve outcomes for both students and educators. Our young people must be equipped not just for jobs – but for life. For life with meaning, that is.