This government placed education high on its list of priorities along with the environment and the economy. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi made all this very clear when he presented his first budget after taking over from his predecessor Eddie Fenech Adami two years ago, and he reinforced the concept in his last budget last October.

While the problems in the economic situation of the country and those in the environment sector have been addressed at full strength – the reduction of the public deficit and the closure of the Maghtab landfill are two cases in point – education has also been tackled a great deal over the past two years.

Last week’s official opening of the St Benedict School in Kirkop – a school that has already been functioning for nearly a full scholastic year – was a dream come true as the government strives to improve the facilities and the working environment in public schools. Other schools are planned for the future, while the maintenance work that has been carried out in other government schools over the years – again to upgrade the services offered – is also to be commended.

Lately, it seems that the government is trying to push hard certain reforms in the education sector. The environment and the economy are not being ignored, but education seems to have taken on greater importance, and not only because of the opening of St Benedict School.

The push is coming from the Prime Minister himself. In recent public appearances, both as Prime Minister and also as Nationalist Party’s leader, Dr Gonzi on more than one occasion spoke about the importance of an educated country and that it is the basis of Malta’s future.

For example, when closing a PN conference on work and investment on 1 May, Dr Gonzi said that education, in whatever manner and at every level, should be the mission around which all social forces of the country must unite to maximise the best resources Malta possesses, that is its people. He said he wanted to make education a national project.

He maintained that education is the key to the success of an island nation and that everyone should do his or her best to reinvent the country based on this column.

Earlier, while visiting various factories and companies in the run-up to Worker’s Day, Dr Gonzi spoke about the crucial importance of education and the knowledge of diverse opportunities in the labour market.

And it is here that the country must concentrate, as Dr Gonzi himself pointed out. The Prime Minister has encouraged parents to urge their children to continue studying beyond the compulsory schooling age, 16. Even better, they should also guide them as much as possible choose careers that are vital for the country’s future economic growth.

Today, the University of Malta and MCAST offer a wide array of subjects that can be taken up by students. Whereas, in the past, traditional professions were the only openings available, today students have a much wider choice and a better opportunity to build a rewarding career.

We will still need doctors and lawyers, and it is good that students decide to choose these professions. But the “market” in these areas is saturated, and therefore students should consider their options well before making up their mind as to what they want to be when “they grow up”.

With the country moving towards the pharmaceutical and information technology sector, there will be great opportunities for those who qualify in these sectors. The country is already “crying” for more qualified personnel in these areas, and it seems that in the near future there will be a need for more.

In this regard, the Prime Minister has made a heartfelt appeal for students to choose careers that can give them personal satisfaction and, at the same time, fill up positions that the country needs, and needs badly. With investment such as that of SmartCity@Malta coming up, students would do well to take Dr Gonzi’s words seriously.