Spokespersons for ADPD-The Green Party addressed a press conference in front of the Birkirkara primary school as a token of appreciation towards educators in our schools.
ADPD’s deputy secretary general Mario Mallia emphasised that educators are key to the present and the future. They are constantly being called upon to address and adapt to changes imposed on them, many a time without the necessary appreciation and support.
Mallia argued that respect and support needs to be evident through messages and impressions from politics, that should work in the same direction as education in schools. One of these aspects is the issue of accountability and standards in public life.
Politics is giving the impression that a sense of accountability applies to others but it does not apply to people on top. The dearth of resignations from ministers following the publication of the Jean Paul Sofia report, is the latest example of this. This situation, together with others before it, give the distinct impression that being servile and cozying up to people in power is a certificate of eligibility for a place on a government board, which the public pays for from the nose.
The Sofia report goes on to give the impression further that funds to award appointments on boards seems to have been available but no funds seem to have been found to employ an adequate number of inspectors that could have saved lives. Youth are being fed the impression that money makes inroads and that the country is up for sale. The state peddles the unrelenting impression that it is of little consequence that the rights of others, for clean air, open spaces and safety, are trampled upon. Politics is giving the impression that paying a stratospheric salary to the commissioner for films to fund foreign productions, whilst funding local talent becomes an oversight is not a problem.
Schools are doing their best to teach their children a sense of community. Politics seems to pedal egoism. Schools are being taught to be confident in themselves whilst politics seems to be trampling on local creatives. Schools teach accountability but all around them, being self serving and protected by friends of friends is becoming the norm. Schools teach children the importance of skills and effort. Politics teaches the importance of who you know. Children are taught to value life, yet all around them they see life being subjugated to self interest and money.
Mallia argued that these glaring contradictions are leading youth to become alienated from politics. This is the legacy of a failed political system which is jeopardizing our country’s present and future democratic credentials. Whilst showing appreciation once again towards educators for the sterling work they do, ADPD urges the government to educate by leading by example.
Sandra Gauci, the Chairperson of ADPD – The Green Party, argued that whilst educators’ collective agreement is being negotiated, it hopes that the outcome reflects a strong sense of respect and esteem that educators deserve. It is only when educators feel respected that the chronic lack of teachers can be adequately addressed, argued Gauci.
This sense of respect needs to be reflected in educators that are trusted professionals. This should lead to educators being afforded more spaces through which communities in schools are able to seek and offer creative solutions that work. The role of the directorates should be limited to supporting schools rather than centralizing further their power. Whilst the need for national policy on various aspects remains, schools should be afforded the necessary space to work and envision as they strive to find possibilities in addressing issues which include discipline, multiculturalism and other curricular aspects.
Educators have borne the brunt of reform fatigue as a result of changes which were not given enough time to be internalized before other changes were introduced. This, according to Gauci, is leading to a lot of frustration among educators. It is crucial for educators, and students not to feel a mere number, lost in large institutions, because this has a detrimental effect on their well-being and motivation. “We need to keep doing our best to help educators give their best in an environment which feels safe, welcoming and democratic, backed up with a decent pay which reflects the central role that educators play and the challenges they face everyday”, concluded Gauci.
***
Hemm bżonn ta’ politika li tapprezza lill-edukaturi
Kelliema tal-ADPD-The Green Party indirizzaw konferenza stampa quddiem l-iskola primarja ta’ Birkirkara bħala turija ta’ apprezzament lill-edukaturi fl-iskejjel tagħna.
Id-deputat segretarju ġenerali ta’ ADPD Mario Mallia emfasizza li l-edukaturi huma ċ-ċavetta għall-present u l-futur ta’ uliedna u b’mod kontinwu jissejjħu biex jirrispondu u jadattaw għat-tibdil li jiġi fuqhom, xi kultant mingħajr l-apprezzament jew l-appoġġ dovut.
Mallia sostna li r-rispett u s-sostenn, jiġi wkoll mill-bżonn li l-politika tagħti messaġġi u impressjonijiet li jaħdmu id f’id ma’ dak li l-iskejjel qed jippruvaw irawwmu fit-tfal tagħna. Fost dawn hemm il-bżonn tal-indafa fil-ħajja pubblika u l-kontabilita`.
Fil-ħajja pubblika, qed tingħata l-impressjoni distinta li ma jimpurtax imbilli persuni fis-setgħa jisirqu fondi pubbliċi u wara jsibu l-id tal-gvern li terġa’ tirrijabilithom u tilqagħhom qisu qatt ma kien xejn, mingħajr lanqas biss ma jkollhom id-diċenza li jroddu lura dak li jkunu ħadu. Fl-isfond ta’ dan kollu mbaghad, fl-iskejjel irridu ngħallmu lit-tfal tagħna s-sens ta’ dixxiplina, qadi u ġustizzja, tenna Mallia.
Fil-politika qed tingħata l-impressjoni wkoll li s-sens ta’ kontabilita` jgħodd għal ħaddiehor, imma ma jgħoddx għal dawk li huma fl-aħħar mill-aħħar responsabbli mid-deċiżjonijiet li jittieħdu. In-nuqqas ta’ riżenji fuq livell ta’ gvern b’riżultat tal-pubblikazzjoni tal-inkjesta dwar il-mewt ta’ Jean Paul Sofia hu l-aħħar ezempju ta’ dan. L-istess każ, kif ukoll ħafna oħrajn, jagħti l-impressjoni li jekk titħabbeb, tingħata l-premju li ħaqqek b’nominazzjonijiet fuq bordijiet tal-gvern imħallsa minn flus il-poplu.
L-istess rapport dwar il-mewt ta’ Jean Paul Sofia jagħti l-impressjoni wkoll li flus biex jiġu ppremjati in-nies ta’ ġewwa hemm kemm irridu imma flus biex jiġu mpjegati spetturi biex iħarsu s-saħħa tan-nies, m’hemmx. Tingħata l-impressjoni liż-żgħażagħ li fl-flus jiftħu triq fil-baħar u li pajjiżna għall-bejgħ u li ma jimpurtax li jintrifsu d-drittijiet ta’ l-oħrajn għad-dawl tax-xemx, l-arja nadifa, l-ispazji miftuha u s-sigurtà. Il-politika qed tagħti impressjoni liż-żgħażagħ li ma jimpurtax imbilli l-istat iħallas għal paga stratosferika ta’ kummissarju għall-films biex jinġiebu produzzjonijiet barranin, u t-talent Malti nibqghu nitimgħuh il-laqx.
Fl-iskejjel il-tfal qed jiġu mgħallma xi tfisser komunità. Madwarhom qed jaraw xi jfisser l-egoizmu. Fl-iskejjel it-tfal qed jiġu mgħallma kif ikunu kunfidenti magħhom infushom. Madwarhom qed jaraw il-kreattivita` lokali tingħata bis-sieq. Fl-iskejjel it-tfal jigu mgħallma xi tfisser il-kontabilità. Madwarhom qed jaraw xi tfisser li taħseb għal rasek u li ħadd ma jista’ għalik jekk tkun parti mill-ħbieb tal-ħbieb. Fl-iskejjel it-tfal jiġu mgħallma l-importanza tal-ħiliet u l-isforzi ta’ persuna. Madwarhom jidwi l-messaġġ li l-iktar importanti hu lil min taf. Fl-iskejjel it-tfal jiġu mgħallma l-valur tal-ħajja umana. Madwarhom qed jaraw mudelli fejn il-ħajja umana tiġi sottomessa għall-flus u l-interessi.
Mallia temm jgħid li dawn il-kontradizzjonijiet qed iwasslu lil ħafna żgħażagħ jitilfu l-fiduċja fil-politika u jagħżlu li jogħqodu ‘l bogħod minnha. Dan legat ta’ sistema politika falluta li qed tnawwar il-preżent u l-futur demokratiku ta’ pajjiżna. Filwaqt li ADPD ttenni l-ħajr lill-edukaturi tax-xogħol li jagħmlu, tħeġġeġ lill-gvern jeduka bl-eżempju għax fl-aħħar mill-aħħar, huwa l-eżempju li jkaxkar.
Iċ-Chairperson tal-ADPD-The Green Party Sandra Gauci sostniet li hekk kif għaddejjin it-taħdidiet dwar il-ftehim kollettiv tal-edukaturi, ADPD tittama li l-eżitu jirrifletti is-sens ta’ rispett u stima li ħaqqhom l-edukaturi. Huwa meta l-edukaturi jħossuhom rispettati, li l-problema kronika ta’ nuqqas ta għalliema tista’ tiġi ndirizzata bis-serjetà, saħqet Gauci.
Is-sens ta’ rispett u stima għandu jigi rifless f’kundizzjonijiet li għandhom iwasslu sabiex l-edukaturi jħossuhom iktar fdati bħala persuni professjonali f’xogħolhom. Dan għandu jwassal għal iktar spazji biex ikunu l-komunitajiet fl-iskejjel li jfittxu u joffru soluzzjonijet innovattivi u li jaħdmu. Ir-rwol tad-direttorati għandu jkun ta’ appoġġ lill-iskejjel iktar milli ta’ ċentralizazzjoni tal-poter. Filwaqt li għandu jkun hemm politika nazzjonali ċara fuq diversi aspetti, l-iskejjel għandhom jitħallew jaħdmu u jimirħu, biex isibu soluzzjonijiet għal sfidi u opportunitajiet bħal ma huma d- dixxiplina, u l-multikulturaliżmu, u aspetti oħrajn kurrikulari fost temi oħrajn, tenniet Gauci.
Il-ħafna tibdil kurrikulari li sar ġab miegħu reform fatigue fejn l-edukaturi bilkemm ingħataw ċans jifhmu it-tibdil li jkun sar li ma jerġgħux isibu ma wiċċhom tibdil ieħor. Dan, skont Gauci, qed inissel ħafna frustrazzjoni fl-edukaturi. Huwa kruċjali li l-edukaturi kif ukoll l-istudenti ma jħossuhomx numri f’istituzzjonijiet kbar, għax dan iwassal biex jiddgħajjef is-sens ta’ benesseri u motivazzjoni tagħhom. “Ejja nixprunaw kemm lit-tfal kif ukoll l-edukaturi biex jagħtu l-aħjar tagħhom f’ambjent sikur, diċenti u demokratiku, b’pagi li jirriflettu ir-rwol kruċjali tal-edukaturi, bl-isfidi li jridu jħabbtu wiċċhom magħhom kuljum”, tenniet Gauci.
