ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson and candidate on the 4th and 9th district, Carmel Cacopardo stated that the smartest investment in education should be in those who contribute to it. A press conference on the subject on Monday afternoon in Birkirkara was also addressed by ADPD Deputy Chairperson, candidate on the 2nd and 8th district and its spokesperson on education.

Cacopardo stated that respect towards the educators should be reflected in employment conditions that assist the educators to become protagonists in setting out the policy by allowing them more space to reflect and training that forms an integral part of their work which should also be better remunerated. Cacopardo insisted that education initiatives should be laid out by the educators and the schools themselves in order for these to reflect the local context, rather than imposed from above.

It is therefore imperative, for example, the current reforms in the Learning Outcomes Framework as well as the new SEC process are analysed well so that the teachers will not end up burdened with work that disrupts and impacts negatively their primary duty as educators.

The ADPD spokespersons also insisted on the need for the education sector to adopt some continuity after the changes of three ministers in as many years together with various changes within the ministry and the education division. All this upheaval has lead to a chronic lack of direction and communication. The fact that the National Curriculum Implementation Board has not met since 2019 is just one example of this. ADPD calls for this board’s work to resume as soon as possible.

ADPD continues to insist on more investment in early education as the key to the success of the whole system. This investment should be across both the employment conditions of the educators as well as in their training.

The Covid pandemic has left a massive impact on the children as well as the educators in particular on their mental health. The government should be investing well into the strengthening of the psychosocial services within schools. This would be an important manner in which investment prioritises people over other interests. The pandemic has also highlighted the social divisions that already exist between some children and others. ADPD believes that a thought process should be embarked upon to understand how this social division enlarged during the pandemic can be addressed.

With reference to the mitigation measures within schools during the pandemic, ADPD maintains that the limitations imposed on the children such as the use of a mask throughout the school day as well as social distancing may be rendered useless due to the irresponsible actions by adults during the electoral campaign. It would be unfair that the removal of the masks measure after the Easter holidays is put in jeopardy due to inconsistencies by the PLPN politicians who threw all precautions out the door. Our children should not continue to suffer the arrogance of the PLPN. As if it is not bad enough they are the ones who suffer from most from pollution and lack of open spaces.

While we recognise the improvements that have been made on disability issues, it is sad to see that a number of children still depend on an act of charity for them to be provided with Augmentative Devices that are essential for them to communicate. ADPD also believes that professional assistance for disable children should extend beyond the first five years. It should also be declared illegal that parents of disabled children should suffer the current injustice of paying more for recreational and sporting activities than parents of other children. This should go a long way in ensuring that all children are treated with dignity. ADPD also insists on more continuity in the support given to disabled students during their education journey transfer from the secondary and post secondary so that the latter institutions become more accessible to them.

On childcare, ADPD calls for children to be given the education service level they deserve, it should not simply meet an economic need – an emphasis on quality and not quantity. Therefore even in the case of the service extension being proposed by the PL, the service level currently being given should be studied to ensure it is meeting the requirements while a strategy is established to address the lacunae created due to the extension of the service in a short period of time.

With respect to the curriculum, ADPD believes that secondary schooling, contrary to PN manifesto proposals, should not lead to specialisation but should enable one to gain knowledge and skills that open up our children to new possibilities. ADPD believes that specialisation should take place later on in the education journey. Indeed the ADPD electoral manifesto emphasises the need for more avenues within the curriculum that encourage critical thinking, thematic aspects, the meeting of different beliefs as well as an increased emphasis on the arts and humanistic subjects that many a time are sidelined due to the misguided direction that education should ultimately serve the economy.

On the eve of another election, Christmas has also come early for education. Investment in education is being shifted from essential needs to other relatively secondary. In this respect one might mention the installation of air conditioning in each school with making an attempt to installing passive and environmentally sustainable systems, free laptops to all students in their first secondary of schooling – independently of the need, as well the PL proposal regarding homework. It is outrageous, to say the least, that such a complex issue that merits due consideration has been simply proposed as a populist measure.

ADPD believes that a greater effort should be made for MCAST to be recognised and respected as well as the university. This can be achieved, for example, by becoming a technical university. ADPD also believes that courses offered by MCAST should have a greater element of training on social and environmental responsibilities alongside the technical training.

ADPD believes the appointment of the MCAST Principal as well as that of the University Rector should no longer be controlled by government but respect more the wishes of those who work within and the students that attend such institutions.

ADPD also believes that students should be incentivised to continue with their studies and engage in varied experiences such as voluntary work by increasing their stipend to half the minimum wage.

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L-edukazzjoni trid tkun mibnija fuq in-nies li jħaddmuha

L-ikbar investiment fl-edukazzjoni għandu jkun fin-nies li jħaddmuha, sostna ċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD il-Perit Carmel Cacopardo, kandidat fuq ir-4 u d-9 distrett, f’konferenza tal-aħbarijiet li ġiet indirizzata wkoll minn Mario Mallia, Deputat Chairperson u kelliem ghall-edukazzjoni, kandidat fuq it-2 u t-8 distrett. 

Dan is-sens ta’ rispett għandu jiġi rifless f’kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol li jgħinu lill-edukaturi jsiru protagonisti fit-tifsil tal-politika edukattiva permezz ta’ spazji ikbar ta’ riflessjoni u taħriġ li jkunu rikonoxxuti bħala parti integrali mix-xogħol tagħhom li jkun imħallas aħjar. Cacopardo tenna l-bżonn li l-inizjattivi fl-edukazzjoni jinħmew mill-edukaturi u l-iskejjel infushom biex kull bidla tkun sensittiva għall-kuntest tagħha, iktar milli tkun iddettata minn fuq.  

F’dan l-isfond, huwa kruċjali li r-riformi għaddejjin bħalissa li jirrigwardaw il-Learning Outcomes Framework kif ukoll il-proċess il-ġdid tas-SEC, jiġu skrutinizzati biex l-għalliema ma jispiċċawx imtaqqla b’xogħol li joħnoq u jtellef mix-xogħol primarju tal-edukaturi.  

Il-kelliema saħqu wkoll fuq il-bżonn ta’ kontinwità fil-qasam edukattiv wara l-bidla ta’ tliet ministri f’daqstant snin kif ukoll taqlib fi ħdan il-ministeru u d-diviżjoni tal-edukazzjoni. Dan it-taqlib kollu qiegħed iwassal għal nuqqas kroniku ta’ direzzjoni u komunikazzjoni.  Eżempju ċar ta’ dan huwa l-fatt li l-Bord tal-Implimentazzjoni tal-Kurrikulum Nazzjonali ilu ma jiltaqa’ sa mill-2019.  ADPD tħoss li l-ħidma ta’ dan il-bord għandha tissokta kemm jista’ jkun malajr.  

ADPD tibqa’ tinsisti fuq il-ħtieġa ta’ iktar investiment fl-edukazzjoni bikrija bħala l-pern tas-sistema kollha.  Dan l-investiment għandu jsir kemm fil-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol tal-edukaturi fis-settur kif ukoll permezz ta’ investiment fit-taħriġ.  

Il-pandemija kellha effetti devastanti fuq ħafna tfal kif ukoll edukaturi partikolarment fuq is-saħħa mentali tagħhom.  Investiment primarju tal-gvern għandu jkun biex isaħħah is-servizzi psikosoċjali fl-iskejjel.  Dan huwa mod importanti li permezz tiegħu l-investiment jipprijoritizza lill-persuni fuq affarijiet oħra.  Il-pandemija tefgħet ukoll lenti fuq il-qasmiet soċjali li kienu diġà jeżistu bejn tfal u oħrajn.  ADPD tħoss li għandu jitnieda proċess ta’ ħsieb fuq kif din il-qasma socjali li kibret bil-pandemija tiġi ndirizzata.
B’referenza għall-proċeduri ta’ mitigazzjoni tal-pandemija fl-iskejjel, ADPD tħoss li l-limitazzjonijiet imposti fuq it-tfal permezz tal-użu tal-maskri l-ġurnata kollha, kif ukoll iż-żamma ta’ distanza soċjali, jistgħu jisfgħu fix-xejn minħabba l-atteġjament irresponsabbli tal-adulti waqt il-kampanja elettorali.  ADPD tħoss li jkun inġust li it-tneħħija tal-maskri wara l-vaganzi tal-Għid, tkun fil-periklu minħabba l-inkonsistenza tal-politiċi mill-PL u l-PN li fl-attivitajiet tagħhom waqt il-kampanja elettorali, il-mizuri kontra l-COVID remewhom mit-tieqa.  It-tfal tagħna ma jistgħux ikomplu jħallsu l-prezz tal-prepotenza tal-partiti tradizzjonali.  Biżżejjed iħallsu l-prezz ta’ arja mniġġsa, u nuqqas ta’ spazji miftuħa.  

Fuq il-qasam tad-dizabilità, filwaqt li tirrikonoxxi passi ‘l quddiem li saru, huwa ta’ għajb li għad għandna numru ta’ tfal li għadhom jiddependu fuq il-karità biex jiġu pprovduti b’għodda bħal ma huma l-Augmentative Devices tant essenzjali għalihom biex jikkomunikaw mad-dinja ta’ madwarhom.  Fuq l-assistenza professjonali għat-tfal b’diżabilità imbagħad, ADPD tħoss li din għandha tiġi estiża għal etajiet ikbar minn ħames snin. Temmen ukoll li l-inġustizzja prevalenti fejn il-ġenituri ta’ tfal b’diżabilità ikollhom iħallsu iżjed għal servizzi ta’ rikreazzjoni u sport minn ġenituri bi tfal oħra, għandha titqies bħala prattika illegali. Dan biex jiġi żgurat li kull tifla u tifel jingħataw id-dinjità li tixirqilhom. ADPD tisħaq ukoll fuq il-bżonn ta’ iktar kontinwità fis-sapport li jingħataw l-istudenti b’diżabilità fil-vjaġġ edukattiv tagħhom bejn is-settur sekondarju u dak post-sekondarju sabiex l-istituzzjonijiet post-sekondarji ikunu iktar aċċessibbli għalihom.  

Fuq iċ-childcare, ADPD tinsisti li l-prijorità għandha tkun it-tfal u l-livell edukattiv tas-servizzi li jixirqilhom u mhux kemm din il-miżura qed taqdi l-ħtiġijiet ekonomici. L-emfasi trid tkun fuq il-kwalità mhux fuq in-numri.  Għaldaqstant, qabel ma jiġi estiż is-servizz anke għal ġenituri li ma jaħdmux kif qed jipproponi l-PL, għandu jiġi mistħarreg jekk il-livell ta’ servizz lit-tfal huwiex dak mistenni filwaqt li jidentifika strateġija biex in-nuqqasijiet sforz it-tkabbir f’daqqa tas-servizz, jiġu ndirizzati.  

Fil-qasam kurrikulari, ADPD tħoss li l-iskop tas-settur sekondarju mhuwiex wieħed ta’ speċjalizazzjoni imma huwa l-kisba ta’ għerf u ħiliet li jiftħu possibilitajiet għat-tfal tagħna. Huwa f’dan il-kuntest li ADPD ma tistax taqbel mal-proposta tal-PN għal skejjel sekondarji speċjalizzati. ADPD ssostni li l-ispeċjalizazzjoni għandha tiġi iktar tard fil-vjaġġ edukattiv.  Minflok, il-manifest elettorali ta’ ADPD jemfasizza l-bżonn ta’ iktar spazji kurrikulari li jseddqu l-ħsieb kritiku, l-aspett tematiku, l-inkontru fi spazji kurrikulari apposta bejn tfal ta’ twemmin differenti, kif ukoll emfasi miżjuda fuq l-arti u s-suġġetti umanistiċi li ħafna drabi qed jingħataw il-ġenb frott enfasi żbaljata li l-edukazzjoni għandha taqdi fuq kollox l-ekonomija.

Lejliet elezzjoni, anke fl-edukazzjoni ma jonqsux il-wegħdiet ta’ Father Christmas. Dan qed jispusta l-investiment edukattiv minn dak li huwa l-iktar essenzjali għal dak li huwa relattivament periferali. Fost dawn hemm l-arja kkundizzjonata f’kull skola mingħajr sforz ta’stallazzjonijiet ta’ sistemi passivi u ambjentalment sostenibbli, l-għoti ta’ laptops b’xejn lil kull student fl-ewwel sena tas-sekondarja lil kulħadd irrispettivament mill-bżonn, kif ukoll il-proposta tal-PL fuq il-homework. Huwa ta’ għajb li proposta kumplessa li għandha l-merti tagħha bħal ma hija tal-homework, tiġi mitfugħa bħala proposta sempliċi u b’għan populista.  

ADPD tħoss li għandhom isiru sforzi ikbar sabiex l-istima u d-dinjità li jgawdi l-MCAST tkun daqs dik tal-università.  Dan jista’ jsir fost l-oħrajn billi l-MCAST issir università teknika. Tħoss ukoll li l-korsijiet offruti mill-MCAST għandu jkollhom doża ikbar ta’ taħriġ fuq ir-responsabbiltà soċjali u ambjentali li takkumpanja t-taħriġ tekniku.  

ADPD tħoss li d-dipendenza fuq il-gvern fl-għażla tal-Prinċipal fl-MCAST kif ukoll tar-Rettur tal-Università m’għandhomx jibqgħu kkontrollati mill-gvern imma għandhom jiddependu iktar fuq ir-rieda tal-ħaddiema u l-istudenti f’dawn l-istituzzjonijiet.  

Fl-aħħarnett, ADPD tħoss li l-istudenti għandhom jiġu nċentivati biex ikomplu jistudjaw u jidħlu għal esperjenzi varji bħal ma huma l-volontarjat, billi l-istipendju tagħhom jiżdied għal nofs il-paga minima.