Students' motivation will not increase just by raising the age of compulsory education, the Paolo Freire Institute Foundation said on Friday.

In a statement, it said means should be found to have "more quality teachers at all levels" and ensuring these retained their employment in the educational sectors for many years.

It noted that although the education sector in Malta is one of the most cost-intensive, the country had the highest rate of early school leavers in the European Union with the target limit of up to 10% by 2020 not being met.

Consequently, it noted, some voices are suggesting raising the threshold for the age of compulsory education to 18 years old.

“It is Paulo Freire Institute’s conviction that before anything else, we must first work to improve students’ motivation. It is very worrying that a number of students lose interest in education from a very early age.

"It seems also that quality education is not yet viewed as a priority in our society,” the institution said.

It added: “We do not believe that this will happen by obliging all students to attend until they turn 18. There is a danger that this measure alone could backfire and increase the level of demotivation with regard to youth education and increase levels of absenteeism”.

The institute said it was necessary to:

• Work with the most vulnerable families so that they will recognise that the opportunity for a better future lies in their children’s education. Thus, any assistance granted, including financial assistance, should be for this purpose;
• Invest not only in the construction of new schools but also give attention to the older ones, since some of them need to be radically restored;
• Find a means of having more quality teachers at all levels and of retaining their employment in the educational sector for many years. To do so, it is not only necessary to improve the working conditions of teachers and of all those involved in education, but more importantly to increase appreciation towards all who work in this sector;
• Although the country has recognised the needs of students who are more drawn to the expressive arts or to sport, so much so that there are specialised schools, it is also important to consider schools for those who have abilities in manual crafts and specific trades; and
• Presently education is still more focused on exams rather than on children’s learning and their full development. All those in schools responsible for children need to know their pupils individually and keep step with the particular pace of each and every one of them as well as with what interests them most. To do this in practice, school administrators need to be more flexible when it comes to designing the school curricula so that the children can receive individual attention. 

The institute hoped that as a new school year approached, and in spite of these very particular times, all students will experience a positive learning experience and teachers will be able to continue to fulfil their mission without hindrance.