The recent launch of our book, An Emergent Curriculum for the Early Years in Malta: Stories of Professional and Pedagogical Transformation, in collaboration with the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society, was a powerful demonstration of what happens when we truly listen to children and recognise their role as active participants in their own learning. The event saw an exceptional turnout of around 200 attendees, including educators, policymakers, researchers, students and families.

What truly set this launch apart was the active participation of young children, including two-year-olds, who took centre stage to share their experiences of the emergent curriculum in childcare, kindergarten and early primary settings.

Their presence was more than symbolic: it was a strong reminder that children are not passive recipients of education but competent individuals with valuable perspectives on their own learning. Their voices reinforced the book’s core message: children thrive when they are heard, valued and given the opportunity to shape their educational journey.

The importance of listening to children is firmly embedded in article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This states that all children capable of forming their own views should have the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting them. And, yet, in many education systems, children’s voices remain overlooked and undervalued, with rigid, pre-planned curricula dictating what, when and how they should learn.

The emergent curriculum challenges this outdated approach. Instead of imposing learning from the top down, it builds educational experiences from the ground up, shaped by children’s ideas, interests and interactions with their environment. This method acknowledges that learning is not linear and that children develop best when they are given opportunities to explore, question and co-construct knowledge alongside their peers and educators.

At the launch event, the children’s message was clear:

“See me, hear me, involve me, engage me. Use my ideas and interests to develop the curriculum with me. Because this is how I enjoy learning, feel empowered and grow as a confident learner.”

The children’s testimonies echoed what decades of educational research have shown: when children are actively involved in decision-making, they develop stronger critical thinking skills, a deeper sense of belonging and a lifelong love of learning.

The presence of President Emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, a long-standing advocate for children’s rights and well-being, added significant weight to this discussion. Her leadership through the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society has played a vital role in advancing policies that prioritise children’s agency, participation and holistic development in Malta.

Additionally, the event featured educators who have implemented emergent curriculum principles in local early years settings. These protagonists and change makers have shifted their practice to embrace child-centred, inquiry-based learning. They shared their reflections on how this approach has transformed both their teaching and their relationships with children.

Their experiences reinforced a crucial reality: just as child agency is essential, so too is teacher agency. When educators are trusted to observe, listen and respond to children’s interests, learning – and teaching – become richer, more relevant and more meaningful.

We call on policymakers to support educational frameworks that prioritise investment in the early years

The overwhelmingly positive response from the audience highlighted the growing recognition of the emergent curriculum’s impact. This response signals a critical shift in the conversation around early years education in Malta. There is a rising acknowledgment that:

• Children are capable contributors to their own learning.

• Educators need the autonomy to adapt their teaching to children’s needs, ideas, interests and understanding of the world around them.

• Education policies, at all levels, must prioritise child-led, play-based and rights-based learning approaches.

The book launch event itself became a living demonstration of the emergent curriculum philosophy: it was a participatory, inclusive and dynamic experience. Such enthusiasm is promising. But it must also translate into concrete changes in policy and practice. The realisation of children’s rights in education needs to be embedded in national education strategies for action.

We call on policymakers to support educational frameworks that:

• Prioritise investment in the early years. This is the foundation of the education system and life itself. (The early years are critical: 85% of the brain develops during this period.) All children need assurances that they will benefit from child-led, rights-based and inquiry-driven learning from the start.

• Provide robust professional development. All educators, at every level, need to have access to pre-service and in-service training in child-centred and rights-based approaches.

• Ensure adequate resources and flexibility. In this way, educators can implement meaningful, child-led learning experiences rather than being  constrained by rigid curricula.

• Foster a culture of participation. Here, children’s voices are not just heard but acted upon, ensuring their ideas shape learning and decision-making.

As we move forward, we must ask: Are we truly listening to children in education? Do our educational spaces allow children to feel empowered to lead their own learning? Are we preparing, supporting and valuing educators as facilitators of child-led learning?

The launch of an emergent curriculum is a call for systemic change. It reaffirms that, when we move beyond rhetoric and actively listen to children, transformation follows.

As one of the children (11 years of age) who had experienced the emergent curriculum in a Maltese Year 2 classroom (ages six–seven) so beautifully put it: “I will remember what we learned – even years from now!”

This is the hallmark of impactful education. It leaves a lasting imprint on a child’s sense of self, curiosity and lifelong learning.

Charmaine Bonello is senior lecturer in early childhood and primary education, Faculty of Education, University of Malta. Anna Baldacchino is lecturer in early childhood and primary education, Faculty of Education, University of Malta. Carmen Dalli is Professor of Early Childhood Studies at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.