The college concept allows enough flexibility and autonomy for initiatives to be taken by the colleges according to their individual needs and provides schools with more space for personal initiative and satisfaction, said Education Minister Louis Galea yesterday.

Dr Galea was speaking at the launch of a literacy project at Vittoriosa primary school.

This scholastic year, the school is piloting a project introducing creative play to the curriculum and is the result of collaboration between Cottonera College, Rotary Club La Valette Malta (RCLVM) and Playmobil Funpark.

Dr Galea added that if this project is a success in the Vittoriosa school, other primary schools in the college could learn and share from this experience.

Children will use Playmobil kits to develop stories and tell their stories to their teacher who transcribes it onto a chart. The children then read the story together and take it home with them to read to parents.

Allen McLeod and the RCLVM team offered to help the educational sector within Cottonera College. Mr McLeod is a RCLVM member and former Superintendent of the Vancouver School District in Canada.

Vittoriosa Primary School Head Catherine Abela agreed with the project and started working on the idea of creative play using Playmobil kits to encourage creative verbal and literacy skills. The teachers involved were very enthusiastic and visited Playmobil Malta during the Easter holidays to see how the Playmobil kits could be used in the project.

Ms Abela said that children develop their verbal, listening and written language skills through the creative play concept.

“Obviously, this represents only one of the many strategies teachers use to develop children’s literacy skills. As the project develops, other teachers will be invited to see what is happening at the Vittoriosa school in the hope that such a practice will be used in other schools,” said Ms Abela.

Mr McLeod explained that the concept was based on research and his personal experience.

“It seemed natural to involve Playmobil since they are such an important part of the corporate community in Malta and place high priority on the importance of creative play in children’s development.”