‘Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another’ Gilbert Chesterton happy, less calm, and less peaceful.
the problems in our education
a result, he left when he was 16 as
Feelings of social exclusion have also
system are multi-faceted.
soon as a business opportunity arose.
been reported, a direct result of their perception of a low social status.
*Names have been changed to protect the person’s identity
Feature
In his famous TED talk titled
Twenty-one year-old Elisa*was not
‘Changing Education Paradigms,’ Ken
ready to make decisions about which
Robinson deconstructs current models,
subjects she wanted to pursue at the
taken lightly,’ says Borg, especially
pointing out how we are trying to fit
age of 11. She ended up making the
when looking at the state the
within an educational ideal conceived
wrong decisions then abandoning
current student population is in. By
during the industrial revolution.
her course to start work at 19.
international standards, around 5–6%
Schools function like factories,
of pupils are doing exceptionally
Robinson explains, and this system is
changing its pupils,’ says Borg. And this
well. But a staggering 45% are
out of date. This kind of schooling is
statement refers to both early school
doing very badly. This is a ticking
about conformity, not learning, and
leavers and the students who stay
time bomb of early school leavers
Borg agrees wholeheartedly. Different
on. The bulk of our education system
just waiting to go off. What is even
children have different needs and
is devoted to exam preparation and
more worrying is that the majority
skills and most institutions, both in
regurgitating information. Even at
of the people making up the 45%
Malta and other countries, operate
University level, ‘there is [generally]
cohort are students from a lower
within a standardised curricular
very little critical thinking,’ Borg
socio-economic status. To have these
regime, streaming, and testing that
claims, with ‘very little happening
staggering gaps across social strata in
ignore individual needs. ‘How can you
beyond accumulating knowledge’.
such a small country is ‘ethically and
speak of inclusion, social diversity, and
morally unacceptable,’ says Borg.
justice when you have an educational
leaving is not a problem to be
process that is largely informed by an
placed squarely on the shoulders of
anti-educational routine?’ he asks.
educational institutions. The issues
This is ‘a struggle which cannot be
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Prof. Carmel Borg and Dr Milosh Raykov
This is what has made education a personal mission for Borg. ‘Those who know me well are aware that my
Interviews with a number of former
‘Our schooling system is short-
All this being said, early school
leading up to early school leaving are
agenda is focused on social justice,
students, though not early school
equity, and inclusion in education,’
leavers by definition, reinforced the
says Borg. ‘I believe in social justice
above. Now 22 years old, Adam* was
leaving school such as chronic health
and I believe education is a very
frustrated in school because he felt
issues and genuine learning difficulties
important instrument in achieving it.
classes were too easy for him and his
which might have been inadequately
teachers failed to challenge him. As
addressed. One’s community also
The urgency is obvious but
complex and lead down many avenues. There can be personal reasons for