Hundreds of students will no longer benefit from programmes aimed at helping them improve their English communication skills as the education ministry has decided to stop the funding granted annually.

The English-Speaking Union (ESU), an internationally affiliated voluntary organisation, said the ministry had decided to discontinue a decade-long contract worth €40,000 per annum.

The funding helps provide exposure to the English language in the context of teaching public speaking and debating skills to sixth formers around the country in state, Church and private schools as well as teaching communication and discussion to hundreds of pupils at the Żabbar and Valletta primary schools.

ESU Malta chairperson Malcolm Naudi said the organisation was “left totally in the dark” as to why the funding was not being renewed.

The current contract expires on November 17 and the union honoured it by recruiting a tutor for this scholastic year and marketing the programmes in sixth forms.

“The permanent secretary informed me that they do not intend to renew,” Naudi said.

“We are trying to get the ministry to reconsider for the sake of the children. The skills we are giving them are not limited to the English language as they include critical thinking skills.”

Times of Malta reached out to the Education Ministry but no reply was received. However, in comments to Malta Today a ministry spokesman said the union as requesting €411,000 over three years to extend the programme to 11 schools.

The spokesperson said the ministry was not impressed with the results and questioned the educational outcome of the programme after students participating in it remained at the same level as peers who did not.

The Maltese people are at an advantage because they know the English language but are not equipped to use it- Pia Zammit, ESU Malta director of education

Around 700 students to be impacted

ESU Malta director of education, Pia Zammit, said that at no point was the union told to stop preparing for the year, which meant tutors started programmes for the three- to six-year-olds at the Żabbar and Valletta primary schools and also reached out to the sixth formers.

Now, midway through the semester, the ESU has been informed that funding will not be renewed.

“As from November 17, we may have to move out of the primary schools and those sixth formers who signed up for our programmes – as part of their credits – will not be able to benefit from them,” Zammit said.

In all, about 700 students will be impacted.

“Most of our schools do not have training in communication skills except for the occasional ‘show and tell’,” Zammit said.

“This is a pity since Maltese people are at an advantage because they know the English language but are not equipped to use it – a challenge flagged to the union by several employers.”