In a news conference at the beginning of the new scholastic year, Mario Mallia, spokesperson for ADPD – The Green Party on education, stated that focusing on the welfare of children, young people, and even education personnel is a significant development, so much so that it will serve as one of the cornerstones of the national educational policy in coming years. If no attention is given to well-being, the educational journey of our children is compromised, with consequences on the present and future of today’s children. Therefore the need for an education system geared towards the provision of timely and immediate support is vital. Moreover, there is the need to focus on what leads to a lack of well-being, particularly that which is created by the education system itself.
Mallia emphasised the importance of providing services directly to children and locating such resources closer to schools so that appropriate interventions could be implemented as soon as possible. This includes greater investment in people trained in psycho-social services to meet the high demand due to the increase in the number of children in the education system as well as the result of social circumstances. “The needs have increased but the existing services have yet to catch up with the increased demand for such services,” repeated Mallia. Mallia also stressed the need for the education system to focus on those aspects in the system itself that are causing stress and anxiety. This includes the persisting practice of stuffing students in large schools with the consequence that students are frequently reduced to a number, despite the good intentions and the good work of many educators. ADPD stresses that well-being and a strong sense of community in schools go hand in hand. The same can be said for a curriculum that is still packed with content, and that leaves no time left for critical thinking, active participation in the learning process, deep learning, and cooperative work. Our country stands to lose if we simply focus on the effects of the lack of well-being rather than identifying the root causes of the problems.
ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Sandra Gauci stressed that well-being also depends on the educators’ sense of self-esteem which has an impact on how society looks at educators. Gauci hopes that the collective agreement that was recently signed for kindergarten, primary and secondary schools ensures that the sense of gratitude and appreciation does not remain just words on paper. Whilst decent remuneration is a good start, Gauci insisted that educators need to be appreciated and feel respected, and they need to be the freedom to work within their educational communities without undue interference in an over-centralised education system. She stressed that in the discussions on working conditions emphasis should focus on the need for autonomy. She also referred to MCAST and hoped that the negotiations for the new collective agreement are not delayed any further, expressing solidarity with lecturers and students. The uncertainty being created in the sector is unacceptable and should be addressed without further delay. Finally, Gauci expressed her gratitude to the many educators and other educational personnel, who with great dedication and commitment, have returned fully prepared so that the schools can welcome children properly after the summer holidays.
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Il-benesseri hija l-bażi ta’ sistema edukattiva b’saħħita
F’konferenza tal-aħbarijiet fil-bidu tas-sena skolastika u akkademika, Mario Mallia, kelliem għall-edukazzjoni ta’ ADPD – The Green Party qal li l-iffukar fuq il-benesseri tat-tfal, żgħażagħ u anke ħaddiema fl-edukazzjoni, huwa żvilupp importanti, tant li jifforma wieħed mill-pilastri tal-istrateġija edukattiva nazzjonali għas-snin li ġejjin. Mingħajr attenzjoni ffukata fuq il-benesseri, il-vjaġġ edukattiv tat-tfal tagħna jkun wieħed dgħajjef, b’konsegwenzi mhux biss fuq il-preżent imma wkoll il-futur tat-tfal. Dan jimplika l-ħtieġa ta’ sistema edukattiva ngranata tajjeb biżżejjed biex toffi l-għajnuniet f’waqthom u fl-immedjat, u fl-istess waqt, tiffoka fuq il-kawżi ta’ nuqqas ta’ benesseri speċjalment dawk ikkawżati mill-mod kif taħdem is-sistema edukattiva nnifisha.
Mallia saħaq fuq il-bżonn li s-servizzi mogħtija direttament lit-tfal, ikunu iżjed qrib l-iskejjel sabiex l-interventi dovuti jkunu kemm jista’ jkun immedjati. Dan jinkludi s-servizz psiko-soċjali li għandu bżonn investiment ikbar f’nies imħarrġa biex ilaħħaq mad-domanda, frott kemm ta’ ċirkostanzi soċjali, kif ukoll taż-żieda fin-numru ta’ tfal fis-sistema edukattiva. “Il-bżonnijiet żdiedu imma s-servizzi għadhom ma kibrux biżżejjed biex ilaħħqu ma’ din iż-żieda” tenna Mallia. Mallia saħaq ukoll fuq il-bżonn li s-sistema edukattiva tiffoka fuq dawk l-aspetti fis-sistema stess li qed jikkawżaw stress u ansjetà. Fost dawn hemm prattika dejjiema ta’ skejjel kbar fejn in-numru kbir ta’ studenti jirrendihom numru, anke jekk l-intenzjonijiet tajba u x-xogħol fejjiedi ta’ ħafna edukaturi ma jonqosx. ADPD tisħaq li l-benesseri u s-sens qawwi ta’ komunità fl-iskejjel imorru id f’id. L-istess jista’ jingħad għal kurrikulum li f’ħafna aspetti għadu mballat b’kontenut esaġerat, b’tali mod li qajla jifdal ħin għal sens kritiku, parteċipazzjoni attiva fil-proċess tat-tagħlim, deep learning, u xogħol koperattiv. Pajjiżna jkun ħali u ineffettiv jekk jipprova jindirizza l-effetti tan-nuqqas ta’ benesseri biss, mingħajr ma jidentifika l-kawżi u jindirizzhom ukoll.
Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD Sandra Gauci saħqet li l-benesseri jiddependi wkoll mis-sens tal-istima tal-edukaturi lejhom infushom li għandu mpatt fuq kif is-soċjetà tħares lejn l-edukaturi. Gauci tittama li l-ftehim kollettiv li ġie ffirmat ftit ilu għall-kindergarten, primarji u sekondarji, għandu jgħin biex is-sens ta’ gratitudni u apprezzament ma jibqgħux biss kliem fuq il-karta. Gauci insistiet li ħlas diċenti huwa bidu tajjeb, iżda l-apprezzament u stima jintwerew ukoll minn kemm l-edukaturi u l-komunitajiet edukattivi li jappartjenu għalihom, jingħataw l-ispazji sabiex ikunu jistgħu jaħdmu mingħajr indħil żejjed miċ-ċentru. Saħqet li fid-diskussjonijiet fuq il-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol, għandu jsir enfasi fuq is-sens ikbar ta’ awtonomija u spazji ikbar biex din tkun tista’ titħaddem tabilħaqq. Irreferiet ukoll għall-MCAST u sostniet li mhux aċċettabbli li hemm min irid ikompli jfixkel l-għeluq tal-ftehim kollettiv wara snin ta’ tkaxkir tas-saqajn mill-awtoritajiet involuti. Esprimiet solidarjetà mal-letturi u l-istudenti u saħqet li l-inċertezza fis-settur għandha tiġi ndirizzata mingħajr iktar dewmien. Fl-aħħarnett, Gauci esprimiet l-apprezzament tagħha lil tant edukaturi, u ħaddiema oħra fil-qasam edukattiv, li b’tant dedikazzjoni u mpenn ippreparaw bis-sħiħ sabiex l-iskejjel ikunu jistgħu jilqgħu lit-tfal kif jixraq, wara l-vaganzi tas-sajf.
