“The survey is tailor-made to collect the opinion of students, teachers, parents, persons with disabilities, and the general public. Respondents will also be asked to recount their experiences based on whether it’s from a State, independent or church school,” KSU explained.

The results of the survey will then be analysed, published, and used for a policy paper that the taskforce is working on.

The policy paper aims to dive into the current education system and offer concrete proposals and amendments to the system, according to data gathered from those who are personally and professionally involved in it.

“This will allow for a more hands-on solution which will have both a top-down as well as bottom-up approach.”

“Students are an integral part of a functional society and a united front between all stakeholders is necessary to bring the best out of a very convoluted system filled with a diversity of approaches, mechanisms and above all, people,” they continued.

Speaking to Lovin Malta, KSU explained that through their initial research, they’ve identified a host of problems.

“Firstly, the system is so antiquated that we are basically celebrating its centenarian despite the countless revolutions in technology and industry not to mention the developments made in understanding students, education, and the effect it has on a functioning society as well as on the personal development of an individual.”

Secondly, there seems to be high dissatisfaction among educators, parents and students with the education system despite Malta having one of the highest investments in the education in the EU.

Alternatively, KSU explained that there is a disconnect between the Educational Leadership Committee which proposes the new policies and initiatives and the classrooms. The ELC is made up of academics or persons of trust who have not stepped into a classroom in decades, not to mention the lack of consultation with those on the ground i.e. educators, which leads to ineffective or even outdated initiatives.

And finally, there is a lack of collegiality and collaborators between educators of the same subjects within the same institution and between different ones. As well as among other educators teaching the same level of education.

These are just the main problems that the organisation has outlined so far, problems that their policy paper will aim to solve.

So stay tuned for the results of the survey and the subsequent publishing of the policy paper as part of the Educational Reform Campaign.

Do you think that the education system in Malta needs to be reformed?