I am sick and tired listening to PL news and spokespersons attacking the present government about unemployment when they bring in school-leavers into the equation.

Only very recently, while following ONE News, the topic was on unemployment in this country and this young, giggling girl was interviewed and she said that she hadn’t found work, ever since she left school at the age of 16.

Some weeks ago, while following a discussion programme on ONE whose name I do not recall, a youngish guest told the presenter that even young people leaving school should be able to find a decent job in Malta.

But all this is just nonsense. You cannot expect to find a job – let alone a decent one – if you do not have proper qualifications and/or suitable skills. How can you imagine to find a job if you haven’t allowed yourself to have a proper education? How can you expect to find a job if you did not invest in yourself? How can you expect to find a job if you constantly banged the doors shut on your teachers and all those trying to help you and make you see sense?

Do people honestly think that school-leavers at the age of 16 are in a position to find a job – any job, even menial! – especially if they don’t even possess any certificates to prove their worth in various subjects?

Which political party in government is prepared to bind itself and promise such people that they would find employment?

In some countries in Europe, students are expected to stay at school up to the age of 18, as opposed to our age of 16.

In this matter, the government is right: the key to success in employment is a proper education with the proper working-skills necessary, as well as diversification so that if the need arises, the worker in question will be able to make that swift change from one job to another.

The answer to this is sacrifice and hard work, especially in one’s younger years but continuing with adult education and training. One has to invest in one’s future and in that of one’s children and not just sit down, idling one’s time away and allowing one’s offspring to follow suit.

In this light, the role of the parents is of paramount importance. Parents need to realise that it is for their children’s good that targets are made, at school, and that these targets are reached. Parents need to work and collaborate with the teachers because teachers are there to ensure that the children under their care succeed and flourish. So, away with lack of cooperation and disagreeing with the teachers about trifle matters, and when a serious disagreement occurs, make use of the proper facilities between parents and teachers and away from your children’s eyes and ears. Otherwise, you will be doing your children a great disservice.

All this having been said, of course, we need to continue investing in our children’s education. I consider it a mortal sin, in today’s world, to allow even one single student to ‘get away with it’ and pass through primary into secondary school with literacy problems. I question the educational system when I see school-leavers who don’t have the necessary skills and at least a standard worth certifying in a few basic subjects. In my humble opinion, one very important way of doing so is to reduce the teacher-student ratio in all our schools – primary and secondary. Only in this manner will we be putting our money where our mouth is and put into motion the necessary pedagogical tools to enable us, teachers, to identify academically-difficult children and give them that very necessary individual help needed for them to succeed.

Franco Farrugia

Pieta`