Teachers who start their career in state schools this year are attending a two-day induction course to prepare them better for their first scholastic year, starting next week. In all 130 teachers are taking part at the Dolmen Resort Hotel in Qawra.
It is the first time such a course is being held.
Among others it includes workshops, sessions on the teaching profession and on policies in different sectors, and a session where a group of children will share their experiences of education with the new teachers.
Education Minister Louis Galea told them said they wanted to achieve quality education, and he went on to explain the reform in the sector which would lead to all primary and secondary schools forming 10 colleges managed by a principal. This structure should lead to more autonomy and flexibility.
Dr Galea said the 10 colleges would be: the Gozo College, incorporating the primary schools of Ghajnsielem, Gharb, Kercem, Nadur, Qala, San Lawrenz, Sannat, Victoria, Xaghra, Xewkija, and Zebbug, and the Ninu Cremona, Gian Frangisk and Aguis de Soldanis secondary schools.
St Margaret College would incorporate the primary schools of Cospicua, Kalkara, Senglea, Vittoriosa, Xghajra, and Zabbar, and the Lorenzo Gafa’, Giuseppe Despott, and Erin Serracino Inglott secondary schools.
St Benedict College would incorporate the primary schools of Birzebbuga, Ghaxaq, Gudja, Kirkop, Mqabba, Qrendi, Safi, and Zurrieq and the San Benedittu Boys’, Margaret Mortimer and Maria Goretti secondary schools.
St George Preca College would incorporate the primary schools of Floriana, Hamrun SS, Hamrun GP, Marsa, Paola, Pieta’, and Valletta and the secondary schools Dun Guzepp Zammit Brighella, Francis X. Attard, Lorenzo Manche’, Maria Assumpta, and Fra Diego Bonanno.
St Ignatius College would be made up of the primary schools of Luqa, Qormi San Gorg, Qormi San Bastjan, Siggiewi, and Zebbug and the Dun Karm Psaila, Guze’ Galea, Mikiel Anton Vassalli, and Maria Regina secondary schools.
St Clare College would be made up of the primary schools of Gzira, Pembroke, San Gwann, St Julian’s, and Sliema and the secondary schools Antonio Bosio, Sir Adrian Dingli, and Sir Luigi Preziosi.
Maria Regina College would incorporate the primary schools of Gharghur, Mellieha, Mosta, Naxxar, and St Paul’s Bay; and the Naxxar Boys Secondary, Lily of the Valley, and Sta Venera Boys’ secondary schools.
St Nicholas College would be made up of Attard, Bahrija, Dingli, Mgarr, Mtarfa, and Rabat primary schools, and the secondary schools Sir Temi Zammit and Can Paul Pullicino.
St Theresa College would be made up of the primary schools of Lija-Balzan, Birkirkara, Msida, and Sta Venera, and the Vincenzo Borg Brared, Vincenzo Bugeja, St Francis of Assisi, and Sta Tereza secondary schools.
St Thomas More College would incorporate the primary schools of Fgura, Marsascala, Marsaxlokk, Tarxien, and Zejtun and the secondary schools Guze’ D’Amato, Paola, St Joseph, and Carlo Diacono.
Although all the schools had now been woven into colleges much remained to be done for the colleges to be complete and have two secondary schools, one for boys the other for girls, which would receive all the students completing their primary level education.