The country’s educational system has been underperforming for decades. The structural weaknesses are evidenced by the oft-quoted low achievement levels, the weak political leadership that lacks vision for this crucial sector, the insufficient number of students attracted to the tougher courses like science and technology and low morale among educators.
Ministers of education have come and gone but the endemic weaknesses persist despite some marginal improvements over the past two decades. In theory, the appointment of a new minister should provide a little glimmer of hope that the real issues afflicting the education system will be addressed in earnest this time around.
On the other hand, with elections around the corner, Clifton Grima may well turn out to be yet another short-lived Labour minister of education, the fourth in four years, as pointed out by the Nationalist Party.
He takes office at a time when the ministry faces a crisis of confidence as a result of the abuse of power by the outgoing minister, Justyne Caruana, and a spineless permanent secretary who blatantly aided and abetted her, as revealed in a report by the standards commissioner.
Caruana put her personal interests before that of thousands of students and educators by appointing a friend to conduct a study he was not qualified to do. Permanent Secretary Frank Fabri, who is duty-bound to ensure taxpayers’ money is not abused, failed to put the public interest first when he sanctioned the appointment of an unqualified person paid by public funds.
Minister Grima would do well to send a clear signal that he will not tolerate cronyism and sleaze on his watch. He must push the reset button and start short-term reforms by appointing a new permanent secretary who enjoys the trust of educators, students, unions and other stakeholders.
We wish Clifton Grima success. May he be inspired by the importance of his mission.
The deeper reforms will take more time. But it is never a bad time to start engaging with all stakeholders to identify what needs to be done in the long term to start improving the education sector’s performance. In this sense, former parliamentary secretary Grima, who comes from the portfolio of sport and voluntary organisations, could bring a fresh perspective to the task at hand.
One key principle he must keep in mind is that education should never be a result of middle-class privilege. Parents of means who value the importance of education will do whatever it takes to provide a safety net when their children stumble in their educational journey. But for many other parents, the priorities of putting food on the table or paying the rent often result in children being caught in the poverty trap when they leave school without adequate skills.
The training of educators also needs to be upgraded to ensure they are inculcated with the best teaching methods. The profession needs to recruit the best graduates and reward them accordingly. In return, educators must hold themselves accountable for the educational outcomes of their students.
Teachers’ unions should not resist a performance-related system that would reward meritorious educators who go the extra mile to help young people become productive citizens.
Unfortunately, the public debate on educational issues rarely stirs the blood of politicians. Results of educational reform often take a generation to bear noticeable fruit. But this does not justify postponing tough decisions in a system crying out for reform.
Educational achievement is not just the responsibility of educators but of all stakeholders. Political leaders need to stimulate a discussion on how to ensure the young can navigate the challenges of a fast-changing workplace.
We wish Grima success. May he be inspired by the importance of his mission.