Former Finance Minister Tonio Fenech has suggested extending school hours — not for teaching, but to incorporate extracurricular activities into the education system.
Appearing on the program Il-Każin fuq Tokis, set to air on Friday, Fenech discussed how schools could better utilise their facilities after normal hours.
"We have invested a lot in schools," Fenech said, emphasising that school sports facilities often lay unused after the school day ends.
He explained that children often leave school, complete their homework at home then head out again for extracurricular activities. This arrangement, he said, creates unnecessary traffic as parents ferry their children to different locations for activities.
“Why don’t we focus all that energy on extending the school hours — but not on teachers?” Fenech explained.
He proposed that teachers would not be expected to take on additional responsibilities, but instead extracurricular educators such as football and tennis coaches and dance and drama instructors would be used instead.
"Why don’t they become an integrated part of the educational system? That way, instead of children running around everywhere, they would be focused in one place," he added.
Fenech suggested that after-school hours could also be used for children to complete their homework, ensuring they have more quality time with their families when they get home.
He argued this would also align school and work hours, making life easier for parents and potentially reducing traffic.
While noting that the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) had previously opposed his proposal, however, Fenech did not discuss the reasons for the union’s rejection during the discussion.
The debate surrounding school hours has gained traction following a recent study by the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) which highlighted the “marked incompatibility” between Malta’s short school hours and the typical eight-hour workday.
The NCPE noted that Malta’s school opening hours are among the shortest in the EU.
In 2011, Roger Murphy, a professor of education at the University of Nottingham, told Times of Malta that Maltese students spend significantly less time in school compared to students in other developed countries. The MUT has disputed this claim.
Last week, Education Minister Clifton Grima commented on the topic, saying: "The education system should revolve around children's well-being. If we prioritise other things, we would be making a mistake."
Grima emphasised the importance of family time in a child’s development, noting that children should be able to spend quality time at home.
Fenech’s proposal remains one of several ideas being floated to address the issue.