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Maltese School’s English-Only Circulars Spark Author To Issue Warning Against Growing Foreign Population

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A language debate is heating up once again after a school in Malta sent a letter to parents informing them that circulars will now be sent solely in English.

The decision, it appears, came about to cater to the growing number of foreign students within the school.

Renowned author Trevor Zahra took to social media earlier this morning to air his frustrations over the issue, writing:

“With foreign children increasing in our schools, there is a danger that we will slowly lose our language.”

While stating he would not reveal the details of the schooling the person responsible, he said that he knew of several people who had issued complaints to authorities, and are awaiting a reply.

“Some people love to declare that we are a bilingual country, but it seems, for them, this does not mean Maltese and English living together,” Zahra said. 

Malta’s rapid transformation into a multi-facet population that houses people from all across the globe has brought about its growing pains, with critics often pointing to issues surrounding the cultural shift taking place.

Language remains a sore point for many in Malta, in part owing to its uniqueness amongst global languages, despite being a mix of a diverse range of foreign influences itself.

In Malta, most students learn English and Maltese in their primary and secondary education, and according to a Eurobarometer poll conducted in 2012, 98% of Maltese people can speak Maltese while 88% can speak English. However, the former remains by far the most used first language in the country.

READ NEXT:’Maltese Will Become Obsolete’: Call For Students To Be Taught English Before National Language Raises Discussion

Julian is the former editor of Lovin Malta and has a particular interest in politics, the environment, social issues, and human interest stories.

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