Educating educators for the benefit of our children

by Anna Maria Bartolo

As from September, the new National Minimum Curriculum will be implemented in the schools of Malta and Gozo.

The implementation of the NMC was officially launched yesterday at the Palace in Valletta where Education Minister Louis Galea highlighted the main aims of the NMC entitled Inwelldu l-Gejjieni Flimkien (Creating the Future Together).

"The curriculum is the national guide for teaching in Malta for the next seven years," Dr Galea said.

The NMC deals with several issues relevant to modern education. These include special and inclusive education, formative assessment, bilingualism, teaching and expanding technology, communication and information technology, the link between schools and the working world, schools as hubs in the heart of the community as well as decentralisation and autonomy of schools.

"The formulation and writing of the new NMC were effected over a period of four years of consultation and dialogue with the participation of teachers, parents and all those involved in education," he said.

Two entities have been created to ensure the implementation of the NMC, Dr Galea remarked. A steering committee for the implementation of the NMC and a training strategy formulation team were set up for this reason.

Both entities complement each other in their common aim. The steering committee will serve as a guide for the implementation of the NMC while the Training Strategy Formulation Team aims to draw up a training programme for teachers and all those involved.

"The sum of Lm300,000 has been allocated for the training of teachers," the minister said.

A Master of Education degree in Literacy Development is also being offered in the form of distance learning whereby short intensive courses are given by Maltese and foreign experts.

The National Committee may also organise specialised work groups on the various issues included in the curriculum, he said.

Much emphasis is being given on the parents' role in children's education and a task force is being set up to create a plan on how to help parents assist their children in schoolwork and in their general formation.

"The education children receive from their parents at home has a greater influence than what they learn from their teachers at school," he remarked.

Meetings for parents will be held in the various localities and there are preparations underway to launch a series of television programmes about the NMC and related issues.

The NMC document is available in both English and Maltese with the aim that foreign countries may benefit from it, he said.

Copies of the document were delivered to international organisations and fora. Furthermore, the NMC will feature on the education ministry's website so it will be accessible to all. Both English and Maltese versions of the NMC have been distributed to all teachers in Malta. Other copies were sent to heads and assistant heads of schools, members of Parliament, school councils, chaplains, voluntary associations connected with the educational sector, trade unions, constituted bodies as well as all university lecturers and students reading for the Bachelor of Education Degree.

"We have sent copies to so many entities and organisations because we believe the stockholders of education include the whole of society," Dr Galea said.

He said he hoped the new NMC would instil a sense of pride in the Maltese public through the vision of comprehensive education the curriculum promotes.

The NMC will be on sale at the Department of Information in a couple of weeks' time.