One third of schools join European partnerships

A total of 58 local Comenius 1 projects involving 49 primary, secondary and higher education schools in Malta and Gozo have been approved for EU funding for the scholastic year 2004-5.

This means that roughly a third of all local schools from the state, Church and independent sectors are taking part in school partnerships under the EU's Socrates Comenius programme.

The European Commission has approved €348,770 for the 58 projects. The Maltese schools have forged partnerships with schools from the 25 EU member states as well as Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland.

Comenius focuses on the first phase of education, from pre-school and primary to secondary school, and is addressed at all members of the education community - pupils, teachers, other education staff, local authorities, parents' associations and non-government organisations.

This EU action supports school partnerships, projects for the training of school education staff and school education networks.

Comenius also emphasis certain important issues: 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.

For further information on Comenius and the other Socrates programme actions - Erasmus, Grundtvig, Minerva and Lingua - contact the EU Programmes Unit office on 2122 3158 or call at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment in Floriana.