As a student of politics and governance at the University of Malta, I’ve come to recognise some critical insights into our political landscape. The introduction of Vote16, a significant voting reform that lowered the voting age to 16, has been pivotal in encouraging youth involvement in politics.

I had the opportunity to vote at 16 during the 2022 general elections and later stood as a candidate in the local council elections in Balzan in 2024. These experiences, while placing me on different sides of the political process, led me to the same conclusion: our population urgently needs better political education.

During my electoral campaign, particularly during house visits, I found myself frequently explaining how the single transferable vote system works, instead of discussing my electoral proposals.

The questions ranged from basic queries about how vote transfers happen to misunderstandings driven by party directives, such as believing that one must vote exclusively for a single party.

This lack of understanding reflects a broader issue: a politically illiterate population that inadvertently allows the two-party system to dominate, simply because we lack the knowledge to question it. How can we expect citizens to hold their representatives accountable according to ethical and legal standards if neither side is properly educated in these principles?

This year, the University of Malta introduced a full-time course in politics and governance, and I am now entering my second year of study. While this is an important step forward, the next essential move is to integrate political education into the MATSEC (A-Level) or SEC (O-Level) syllabus. Many countries, such as the UK, the US, Ireland and France, have already made politics a subject of secondary and post-secondary education. Why should Malta be an exception?

In addition to adding politics as a subject, we must also promote respectful political discourse in schools. Rather than shielding students from discussing real-world events or expressing their opinions, we should be teaching them how to engage in civil political discussions.

By fostering political literacy, we address the root of partisanship, which thrives on ignorance. If we truly aspire to a future of electoral, economic and societal reform, we must commit to educating the next generation.

By fostering political literacy, we address the root of partisanship, which thrives on ignorance- Samuel Vella

Political education is not limited to the study of different political philosophies, structures, theories and practices; it also prepares students for careers beyond politics. It emphasises ethics, distinguishing between ethical and unethical behaviour and provides a foundation in legal, economic, marketing, communication and psychological knowledge – all of which are valuable in further studies and various professions.

Politics as a subject opens many doors, far beyond traditional political roles, and is certainly not a waste of time, as some might believe. It also delves into corporate governance, a field that is increasingly in demand today.

Although this article has mainly focused on academic education, we should not ignore educating the general populace. The Electoral Commission needs to increase its efforts during election season to provide independent and non-partisan education regarding voting.

Greater transparency in the election process can help provide a sense of vote security, as many fear their vote could be tampered with, potentially due to the spread of misinformation. As a regulatory authority, the Electoral Commission should ensure that misinformation is limited during elections and that the public is educated about how to vote and what happens to their vote.

In conclusion, I believe it is time to invest in a politically literate future. To achieve this, we must urge our representatives to bring this issue to the parliamentary level and press the relevant institutions, such as MATSEC, to prioritise the future of Maltese politics.

Samuel Vella is deputy secretary general of ADPD and co-chairperson of Kollettiv Żgħażagħ EkoXellugin (ADPD youth wing).