Education to be reformed, schools modernised

Education Minister Louis Galea has welcomed back teachers and students at the start of the new school year today and given notice of the launch of a reform process throughout the education sector.

He urged teachers, parents and administrators to work together to make learning an enjoyable and fruitful experience for children.

Dr Galea said that over the past few months the Foundation for Tomorrow's Schools (FTS) had worked hard on refurbishment of a large number of schools, including the building of extensions and other work to make schools more attractive and safe.

Next month he would present the government with a strategic plan for the modernisation of schools and the building of new ones so that all state schools could be considered modern and up to the required standards. The plan would involve an outlay of Lm60 million over eight years. The document would be published and discussed in parliament.

Dr Galea said it was his intention this year to launch a reform across all levels of education to improve the quality of the education sector. The reform would include early education, updating of the curriculum, and a new education law which would separate the regulatory and operational functions and create a regulatory education authority and autonomy in the running of schools.

The reform would also include changes in inclusive education, SEC and MATSEC examinations, and the funding and management of the post-secondary sector, including MCAST and the university.

The reforms would be subject to wide-ranging debate in an effort to achieve consensus.

Dr Galea also went over some ground rules.

He said the first duty to educate children rested on the parents and they should demonstrate interest, commitment and cooperation with schools for this aim. He warned that stern and immediate action would be taken, and the police would be brought in, should parents or relatives be aggressive or violent towards teachers or school employees.

He urged teachers to follow their dress code and behaviour, not least to set a good example to their pupils.

Students may not use mobile phones at school and such phones would be confiscated by heads of school and returned to parents. Teachers may not use mobile phones in class.

Students may not smoke and teachers may not smoke in class or in front of students.

The minister also insisted on school cleanliness.

He said heads of school and teachers were expected to follow the principles and directions of the National Curriculum and apply the established policies on discipline, safety, attendance, bullying, drug and alcohol abuse.

In the case of kindergartens and primary schools, school gates open 10 minutes before school time and the school authorities could not assume responsibility for children who arrived before that.