Labour defends reception year proposal

Labour education spokesman Carmelo Abela yesterday defended his party's proposal for a reception year between kindergarten and ­primary school.

Mr Abela said that this was "absolutely not" a repetition year. The reception year was approved by the MLP during its general conference on Sunday.

The proposal was criticised by ­Education Minister Louis Galea on Monday saying the reception year meant all five-year-olds would be forced to repeat a year irrespective of whether they needed to or not.

Mr Abela said the Labour Party had carried out extensive consultations with all those concerned and those who showed interest in the proposals, which, he said, had come from teachers with hands-on experience.

The aim of the reception year was primarily to fight illiteracy and strengthen the children's basic ­abilities so that they would be able to continue learning.

Malta had slipped to the last position when it came to the education aims outlined in the Lisbon Strategy and this measure was in the interest of children.

The MLP was aware that this ­measure would need a lot of ­preparation and capital and human ­investment, Mr Abela said.