The Labour draft plan on education is a well-researched and detailed report that will serve as a solid basis for discussion, Federation of Industry (FOI) president Adrian Bajada told Labour party officials yesterday.

Mr Bajada said he was satisfied that the report was very relevant to the future improvement of the educational system within the context of the present Maltese economic reality.

He said that education should not be static but an ever-changing process that was linked to the economy. He spoke about lifelong learning, adding that the party’s plan was aimed at improving the present system.

Labour leader Alfred Sant said he was concerned that the Maltese system had failed to meets the targets of the Lisbon strategy, particularly in the areas of science, information technology, research and development and illiteracy.

The Opposition leader proposed that a transition class between kindergarten and year one should be introduced. During this year, children would be taught the rudiments of reading and writing. This would raise the school leaving age to 17.

Dr Sant said the consultation meetings between the party and the federation had been very fruitful and that some of the FOI’s proposals had been included in the plan.

The most important point in the Labour Party’s plan is the suggestion that books should be owned by the students rather than the school lending the books.

Such a policy would help the printing industry and encourage the authorities to change reading material at a more constant rate. The federation’s director-general Wilfred Kenely said that such a measure would help students to build their own library.

MLP general secretary Jason Micallef and main spokesman for education, culture and youth Carmelo Abela were also present.