From the online comments board

Police investigating online Ponzi scheme as Maltese lose hundreds of euros

Go to a bank or reputable financial organisation if you wish to invest money, they are covered by “public liability insurance”. Most of the social media “get rich quick schemes” are a scam, as are the cheap deals, and warehouse clearances. Don’t be sucked in.  – Raymond Hinton

The recent use of the expression Ġaħan (idiot) seems to apply in more than only the political aspect. Oldsters were always taught, by Maltese proverbs or otherwise, to take care of their pennies, that money does not grow on trees and that no one will give you anything for nothing. Considering a recent article on the two-year educational gap between government and private schools, and taking into account the misuse of handy modern communications media, is it not about time the government, the Church and all start a serious collective drive to tackle our intellectual status and development which, apparently, never registers in any EU or national statistics? – V. Cauchi

Recommendations to address public-private schools gap ignored – MUT says

Times of Malta reported that a European Commission report found students attending a private school are likely to be two years more advanced in their learning when compared to those in public schools.

What are their suggestions? Maybe longer summer holidays and shorter school days? Quite telling that there is high expenditure but low outcomes... Where else does an employer pay a full salary and employees don’t work for at least four months of a whole year? The rest of us, essential and non-essential workers, bust our asses 24/7 come Christmas, Easter and three months of summer, paying taxes to fund the school system or to pay for private education. – M. Borg

Doesn’t anyone but me find it disquieting that those not involved with educating our youth become experts? If you experts would insist that the government bring on educators as ministers and their minions. When your children do poorly in school, your go-to answer is: teachers are overpaid for what they do. And they get too much time off. Oh, not mentioned yet, but is often the case, we don’t have time to help the kids because we both work. Both copouts.

In every school system in Europe that actually educates, you will find involved parents (both who also work full-time jobs). Stop putting the rap on the teachers. Let them educate; not test over and over. It is not about rote learning. It is about getting children to think and solve problems. This discussion is about 10 years overdue. First: get a real education minister, not a political hack. And do something you did before but disregarded. Again ask the Finns to offer suggestions and listen this time.

You don’t educate children by loading them down with too much homework. Every day I see kids, smaller and lighter than their backpacks, trudging back and forth to school. What does that prove? Again, too many useless tests. Memorising facts is not educating a child. – Alan Zelt

Give teaching positions in state schools higher pay but get rid of most of those in these positions now and recruit those who have the skills and experience to raise the standards appropriately. Go study how similar schools in other parts of Europe manage to do this and recruit from these countries. – C. Cassar

Most state schoolteachers earn more than private schoolteachers already. It is the overall working conditions/atmosphere that make teaching at a private school more attractive. – Al Lee