EU to fund projects submitted by 74 schools

Seventy-four schools in Malta and Gozo are to receive €374,406 through the EU-funded Comenius programme, aimed at enhancing the European dimension of school education.

There was a substantial increase in the number of accepted applications this year. Out of the 92 applications, a total of 74 projects were accepted, compared to 59 projects accepted out of 80 last year and 57 out of 80 the year before.

The Education Ministry said that of the projects accepted three were submitted by independent schools, 19 by Church schools and the bulk, 52, by state schools and post-secondary institutions.

Comenius falls under the Socrates EU educational programme.

Presiding over the Comenius contract signing ceremony at the Robert Sammut Hall in Floriana, Education Minister Louis Galea said the Comenius programme supports school partnerships, projects for the training of school education staff and school education networks. It thus aims to enhance the quality of teaching, strengthen its European dimension and promote language learning and mobility.

"The programme also emphasises certain important issues, such as learning in a multi-cultural framework, which is the cornerstone of European citizenship, support for disadvantaged groups, countering under-achievement at school and preventing exclusion," Dr Galea said.

The overall objectives of Comenius are to enhance the quality and reinforce the European dimension of school education, in particular by encouraging trans-national co-operation between schools, contributing to the improved professional development of staff directly involved in the school education sector, and promoting the learning of languages and inter-cultural awareness.

Of the 74 projects, 56 are school projects, 14 school development projects and five school language projects. Whereas each school will be benefiting from over €4,000 those schools involved in the language projects will receive on average over €17,000 since these involve larger expenses.

Dr Galea said that with EU accession the funds available for the programmes increased substantially and in the case of Comenius the funds increased from €136,999 to €361,701.

He also expressed satisfaction at the number of schools that have participated in the programme over the years. In the coming scholastic year 209 teachers and 183 students will be involved in exchanges, travelling to one or more European countries.