Today ADPD – The Green Party submitted its position for the public consultation on the draft strategy for further and higher education – Malta’s National Strategic Action Plan for Further and Higher Education 2022-2030.

ADPD – The Green Party’s Deputy Chairperson, Mario Mallia noted that while there has been a substantial improvement over the years in the number of students who choose to continue their education after the compulsory education, and while we understand that the strategy is aimed at further and higher education, we cannot but emphasise that it is in fact early, primary and secondary education are the foundation that socialises and fosters in children and young people curiosity, fun in learning, and interest in society and the world around them.

“We feel that the starting point, emphasised in the draft strategy, is repeatedly the alignment of education with economic interests, instead of the alignment of the economy with the interests and welfare of society. We understand that it is difficult for a small country to somehow affect the global economy, but we believe that education including further and higher education focused on human development will help such that the economy is moulded around the needs of society and not the other way around. We also propose that there should be a strategy and in-depth discussion, which ties together all the layers of education, education for life, for active participation in society, and for the fun of learning itself. The strategy mentions these aspects, but then the principles listed focus almost exclusively on economic interests.”

Dr Ralph Cassar, ADPD – The Green Party Secretary General, who submitted the party’s position to the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority on behalf of the party said that any intervention , policy and educational strategy should be based on the principles of human development.

“The first principle we are emphasising is that of the capability for voice. The capability for voice is the real opportunity and freedom for a person to express their thoughts and aspirations effectively, and to participate in the life of the communities of which they form part of. Education, at the appropriate level for each educational phase, should strengthen the ability of democratic participation, enabling the person to take part in decision-making processes. Education should be aimed to promote active citizenship and not ‘obedient workers’”.

“A strategy for education that gives importance to the development of the capability for student voice changes the narrative that the training provided by educational institutions should be based on ‘what is needed for the economy’. Students will not choose a profession instead of another ‘because that is what is needed economically’. The narrative should be changed to one in which young people are active participants in the choices of subjects, disciplines and skills they need for their future. A system that recognizes diversity and the different abilities and interests of students, at different levels, different disciplines, and different ways of learning, among other things.”

“The second principle we propose is that skills planning should focus on those necessary for social, ecological and economic transformation. The goal of skills planning should change from ‘planning for profit’ and therefore to planning to shape ‘obedient workers’ who facilitate profit, to planning for the social, ecological and economic transformation necessary for a fairer society. All work and economic activities must contribute to the good of society.”

“The third principle we propose for a strategy for further and higher education is that educational institutions should primarily be at the service of society, by offering a range of courses to reach and develop the wide range of interests of different students. They must be rooted in the socio-cultural context of the country. ‘Instrumental’ education is only one dimension of education, which we feel is given disproportionate attention in the draft strategy. The intrinsic value of education and education as freedom and for human development should be given more importance and be the basis of the vision for the strategy for further and higher education”, concluded Cassar.

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Edukazzjoni għall-ħelsien u l-iżvilupp uman

Illum ADPD – The Green Party issottometta l-pożizzjoni tiegħu fl-għeluq tal-konsultazzjoni pubblika dwar l-abbozz tal-istrateġija għall-edukazzjoni avvanzata u ogħla 2022-2030 (Malta’s National Strategic Action Plan for Further and Higher Education 2022-2030).

Id-Deputat Chairperson ta’ ADPD – The Green Party Mario Mallia innota li filwaqt li kien hemm titjib sostanzjali tul is-snin fin-numru ta’ persuni li jagħżlu li jkomplu l-edukazzjoni tagħhom wara l-età obbligatorja, u filwaqt li nifmhu li l-istrateġija hija mmirata lejn l-edukazzjoni avvanzata u ogħla ma nistgħux ma nenfasizzawx li hija filfatt l-edukazzjoni bikrija, primarja u sekondarja li tħoll u torbot, li tissoċjalizza u tnibbet fit-tfal u ż-żgħażagħ l-kurżità, il-gost fit-tagħlim, u l-interess fis-soċjetà u fid-dinja ta’ madwarhom.

“Inħossu li l-punt tat-tluq, emfassizzat fl-abbozz huwa repetutament l-allinejament tal-edukazzjoni mal-interessi ekonomiċi, minflok mal-allinejament tal-ekonomija mal-interessi u l-ġid tas-soċjetà. Nifmhu li huwa diffiċli għal pajjiż żgħir li b’xi mod jaffettwa l-ekonomija globali, iżda nemmnu li edukazzjoni inkluż dik avvanzata u ogħla iffukata fuq l-iżvilupp uman tgħin biex tkun l-ekonomija li tintagħġen madwar il-ħiliet fil-pajjiż, u mhux bil-kontra. Nipproponu wkoll li għandu jkun hemm strateġija u diskussjoni fil-fond, li torbot aktar flimkien is-saffi kollha tal-edukazzjoni, edukazzjoni għall-ħajja, għal parteċipazzjoni attiva fis-soċjetà, u għall-gost tat-tagħlim fih innifsu. L-istrateġija tagħmel aċċenn għal dan, iżda mbagħad l-prinċipji elenkati jerġgħu jiffukaw fuq l-interessi kważi esklussivament ekonomiċi.”

Is-Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ ADPD – The Green Party Dr Ralph Cassar, li issottometta l-pożizzjoni tal-partit lill-Awtorità Maltija għall-Edukazzjoni Avvanzata u Ogħla f’isem il-partit qal li l-prinċipji li għandhom ikunu ibbażati kull intervent, politika u strateġija edukattiva għandhom ikunu msejsa fuq il-prinżipji tal-iżvilupp uman.

“L-ewwel prinżipju li qed nisħqu fuqu huwa dak tal-kapaċità għall-vuċi (the capability for voice). Il-kapaċità għall-vuċi hija l-kapaċità u l-libertà li persuna tesprimi l-ħsibijiet u l-aspirazzjonijiet tagħha b’mod effettiv, u tipparteċipa fil-ħajja tal-komunitajiet li hija parti minnhom b’mod sħiħ. L-edukazzjoni, b’modi addattati għal kull livell edukattiv għandha issaħħaħ l-ħila tal-parteċipazzjoni demokratika fejn il-persuna tieħu sehem fil-proċess tad-deċiżjonijiet. Edukazzjoni għal ċittadini attivi mhux edukazzjoni għal ‘ħaddiema ubbidjenti’.

Strateġija għall-edukazzjoni li tagħti importanza lill-iżvilupp tal-kapaċità għall-vuċi tal-istudenti tbiddel in-narrattiva li għandu jkun hemm taħriġ ipprovdut mill-istituzzjonijiet edukattivi ‘għax hekk hemm bżonn għall-ekonomija’ skont l-istakeholders, bħallikieku l-istudenti se jagħżlu professjoni flok oħra ‘għax hekk hemm bżonn ekonomikament’, għal sistema fejn iż-żgħażagħ huma parteċipanti attivi fl-għażliet kemm ta’ suġġetti, dixxiplini u ħiliet li għandhom bżonn għall-futur tagħhom. Sistema li tirrikonoxxi id-diversità u l-kapaċitajiet u interessi differenti tal-istudenti, f’livelli differenti, dixxiplini differenti, modi differenti ta’ tagħlim, fost affarijiet oħra.”

“It-tieni prinċipju huwa li l-ippjanar tal-ħiliet għandu jiffoka fuq dawk neċessarji għat-trasformazzjoni soċjali, ekoloġika u ekonomika. Il-mira tal-ippjanar tal-ħiliet għandha tinbidel minn ‘ippjanar għall-profitt’ u għaldaqstant għal ippjanar biex jissawru ‘ħaddiema ubbidjenti’ li jiffaċilitaw il-profitt, għal ippjanar għat-trasformazzjoni soċjali, ekoloġika u ekonomika neċessarja għal soċjetà aktar ġusta. Ix-xogħol u l-attivitajiet ekonomiċi kollha għandhom jikkontrobwixxu għall-ġid tas-soċjetà.”
“It-tielet prinċipju għal strateġija għall-edikazzjoni avvanzata u ogħla huwa li l-istituzzjonijiet edukattivi għandhom primarjament ikunu għas-servizz tas-soċjetà, billi joffru firxa ta’ korsijiet biex jilħqu u jiżviluppaw firxa ta’ interessi ta’ studenti differenti. Għandhom ikollhom l-għeruq fil-kuntest soċjokulturali tal-pajjiż. Edukazzjoni ‘strumentali’ hija dimesjoni waħda biss tal-edukazzjoni, li nħossu li tingħata attenzjoni sproporzjonata fl-abbozz tal-istrateġija. Il-valur intrinsiku tal-edukazzjoni u l-edukazzjoni bħala ‘ħelsien’ u l-żvilupp uman għandhom jingħataw aktar importanza u jkunu l-bażi tal-viżjoni għall-istrateġija għall-edukazzjon avvanzata u ogħla.”