Many things do not make sense in the educational system in Malta, and these are discouraging our youth, Azzjoni Nazzjonali leader Josie Muscat yesterday said yesterday.

“We want to introduce a system where a rapid intervention team is called to assist the teacher as soon as he/she notices a serious problem with one of the students. Teachers need to be motivated, enthusiastic, well-paid and content in their jobs and the school environment. Although the government is boasting about its reforms, we still have teachers who are demotivated because of the lack of suitable equipment in the schools for example,” said Dr Muscat.

Many problems are the result of mistakes. For example people would criticise a mother if she had more than three children, and now the trend is to have fewer and fewer children, which in turn has led to a decrease in the number of youths joining the ‘market place’, he said.

AN would like to see specialised colleges introduced during the secondary school stage, so that when a teacher notices that a student’s talent and propensity veers towards certain subjects such as sports, art, music or the sciences, they begin to receive training specifically in a particular area they are most talented in, with a basic knowledge of other subjects.

“Everyone has a gift, and it is important that we encourage our youth to develop their particular gifts in a way which is beneficial for the whole of society,” Dr Muscat added.

“With regard to the reception class proposed by the MLP, AN is not against the idea as such but it fears that in such a way the more intelligent students will be held back, and the class will have the opposite effect of that intended,” said Dr Muscat.

AN is also proposing that there should be no income tax for those whose earnings are under Lm6,000 a year, beyond which there should be a flat rate of 18 per cent income tax for all. “In such a way rich people’s wages will not be eaten away with taxes, while those below a certain income-line will also be safeguarded. Besides we also want to make sure the minimum wage is raised adequately, as the way things are anybody living on a minimum wage must be living in poverty,” said Dr Muscat.