
AD insists that with the introduction of different forms of streaming, such as banding, in state primary schools, the government is contradicting itself and is putting the clock back to where where we were years ago. Mario Mallia, AD’s spokesperson for Education, described the introduction of banding as in contradiction to its own strategy for the next ten years in education put up for consultation. Research has shown that segregation of children, particularly at a young age, leads to labels for life; children in particular streams remain in the same streams throughout their educational experience. This condemns a substantial number of children especially those from particular socio-economic groups and substantially limits their life chances. This in itself contradicts government’s strategy document that aims to reduce the wide gap that exists between educational attainment of particular groups of students over others. Mallia also argued that the introduction of selection on the basis of standardized exams in primary schools will make primary education once again hostage to undue pressure and stress on children, teachers and parents. The recent past has shown that this will elbow out spaces for creativity, the arts and physical education among other areas. It seems that there were no lessons learnt, Mallia argued.
Arnold Cassola, AD chairperson, insisted that the government cannot look forward by going backward. Government cannot dismiss the fact that it was a selective system which the country had embraced for ages that led to the national results in the international studies that are being quoted. Cassola argued that the education reform launched some years ago that did away with streaming should have been given more chance to work through further refinement. Government should have afforded more space for creative solutions in different schools together with better conditions for an inclusive education to be strengthened. Cassola insisted that panic and going for the easy solutions, such as banding, do little to bring about a more inclusive education and ultimately the well being of our children.
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Bl-introduzzjoni ta forom ta’ streaming, maghrufa bhala banding, fl-iskejjel primarji tal-istat, il-gvern qed jaqa’ f’kontradizzjoni u jreġġa l-arloġġ lura s-snin. Dan qalu Mario Mallia, kelliem għall-edukazzjoni għall-Alternattiva Demokratika wara l-introduzzjoni tal-banding.
Mallia tenna li huwa kontradittorju li fl-istess waqt li nieda dokument għal konsultazzjoni li jħares lejn il-prioritajiet fl-għaxar snin li ġejjin, b’din il-miżura qed ireġġa’ l-proċess edukattiv lura għas-snin ta’ qabel ir-riforma fl-edukazzjoni. Riċerka wara riċerka turi li meta t-tfal jiġu segregati partikolarment f’eta’ bikrija, ma jiċċaqalqux mill- istream li jkunu tpoġġew fiha. Dan jirriżulta f’kundanna ta’ numru sostanzjali ta’ tfal għal ħajjithom, partikolarment dawk minn gruppi socjo-ekonomici partikulari. Din il-miżura għaldaqstant, tikkontradixxi l-istess strateġija tal-gvern li qed timmira li fl-għaxar snin li ġejjin tnaqqas id-distakk li jeżisti bejn tfal u oħrajn. Mallia sostna wkoll li l-miżura ser tpoġġi l-edukazzjoni ostaġġ ta’ pressjoni u stress żejjed fuq it-tfal, għalliema u ġenituri frott ta’ eżamijiet li ser jerġgħu jagħżlu bejn it-tfal. Il-passat riċenti uriena li dan ser iwassal biex jingħasru ‘l barra l-ispazji għall-kreattivita’, arti, edukazzjoni fiżika u soċjali fost oħrajn. Mill-passat jidher li ma tgħallimniex, temm jgħid Mallia.
Arnold Cassola, chairperson tal-AD, sostna li l-gvern ma jistax imur lura biex jimxi ‘l quddiem. Il-gvern ma jistax jinsa li kienet is-sistema selettiva li kellna qabel, li wasslitna għar rizultati hziena fl-istudji internazzjonali fuq il-ħiliet bażiċi li jispiccaw bihom numru sostanzjali ta’ tfal. Tenna li il-proċess varat ftit tas-snin ilu bir-riforma fl-edukazzjoni li bih it-tfal ma jiġux segregati, kellu jingħata iktar possibilta’ biex jiġi mħaddem u rfinat. Cassola sostna li l-gvern messu ta’ aktar spazju għal soluzzjonijiet kreattivi fi skejjel differenti kif ukoll kundizzjonijiet aħjar biex l-edukazzjoni inklussiva tkompli tissaħħaħ. Cassola temm jgħid li miżuri ta’paniku u soluzzjonijiet faċli, bhalma hu l-banding, ma jagħmlu xejn biex iġibu ‘l quddiem il-valur tal-inklużjoni u l-ġid aħħari tat-tfal.
