The World Cup fever has gripped the whole country and as the more important matches come by, the fever is bound to rise. Although supporting another nation in football is something that we have grown to accept, it is rather sad to see so many prominent people, including politicians, wearing football gears of other nations on our television screens. It happened on Xarabank last Friday and it was not a pretty sight.

Carcades are part of the fun during the World Cup, but sometimes traffic regulations are not being followed. Many people sit on car windows on the passenger side, half their body out of the car while waving flags. There are others who sit in an open booth. Carcading is fun, but risks should not be taken. Perhaps the wardens may help in the circumstances.

Many runners and cyclists took part in an event organised by the Malta Olympic Committee in St Julian’s and Sliema early yesterday morning. The event did not last more than an hour. Yet the roads were kept open to traffic. It would not have been a bad idea to close them off. It would not have disrupted the flow that much, and considering that the event was held early on a Sunday it would have even been more appropriate to close the roads to traffic.

Several signs indicating directions to drivers need to be replaced. Two such signs are very close to each other at the Santa Venera end of Psaila Street. The signs there are no longer clear and should be replaced.

Many students are undergoing their end-of-year examinations in a stifling June heat, in classes that have no air conditioning and are only equipped with a couple of fans that do not make things easier. It would be a good idea to hold end-of-year examinations earlier during the scholastic year, perhaps in early May. In this way children would do their examinations in a more pleasant atmosphere and perhaps get better results too.

Speaking of exams, a parent phoned in at The Malta Independent offices last week to complain that her eight-year-old daughter was not allowed to go to the toilet during an examination for fear that she would copy. This parent thinks that it is a rather inhuman way of stopping children from cheating. It would have been better to place a teacher near the toilet to act as a deterrent for such practices, she suggested.

A mother who phoned up a school was surprised that her call was answered by a student. Shouldn’t telephones by manned by adults, perhaps a secretary? What was the girl who picked up the phone doing in the headmistress’ office? The woman hung up but decided that she does not want to send her child to that particular school. Who would blame her?