Apparently Joseph Navarro (The Sunday Times, July 15) has not read my letter of June 10, and after reading the opinion expressed by Joseph Agius (June 24) he is being misled into thinking that I am campaigning in favour of a lowering of the SEC level in Italian to help low achievers obtain a better grade. This is not the issue.

I am supporting local educators who, according to Mr Agius (May 27) are thinking of giving Italian, French and German more or less the same syllabus. After all, as they are all foreign languages, what is wrong in making them share the same syllabus and, I may add, the same level descriptors and the same learning outcomes?

If, in this process, the level of Italian needs to be lowered and that of other languages raised, so be it. Obviously, the SEC syllabus and examination would have to follow suit.

As to Mr Navarro's last reference to ministries and examination boards, I am sure that he agrees that past and recent history has shown us that when politicians disregard the advice of educators, they do not carry out educational reforms but educational tragedies. So let us leave educators who put their heads together do their job and let us give them all our support.

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