Around five hundred children who attended year 1 to year 6 primary school classes during the past scholastic year, are currently participating in Skola Sajf activities organised within eleven centres around Gozo. Special activities are also organised at the Arka Respite Centre for children who attend the Sannat Special Unit.
Most of this year’s participants are attending the Skola Sajf summer club held at the Don Bosco Oratory, in Victoria. This centre gives the over 230 participating children a ‘learn through play’ experience within a welcoming and secure environment. The synthetic turf pitch enables the holding of sport related activities outdoors while other fun-games are held in the games room and computer room. Students also participate in dance and drama classes, together with other activities such as painting, cookery, aerobics, crafts, story-telling and crib-building.
Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono visited this centre where she met children, teachers and co-operators, amongst whom some who work on a voluntary basis. The minister was accompanied by Fr Effie Masini, director of the Don Bosco Oratory. The minister praised the initiative taken by the administration of the Oratory for the past years and explained how Skola Sajf presents participating children with the opportunity to make better use of their summer holidays. Those attending Skola Sajf at schools within their localities also benefit from the activities that help them integrate through play. Minister Debono said that games also serve as a means by which good behavioural ethics and the basis for full self-development are instilled. These also include the promotion of good practices with regards to the natural and environmental resources of our country.
Skola Sajf in Gozo is co-ordinated by the Ministry for Gozo in collaboration with the Skola Sajf unit within the Education Division through the participation of teachers, together with Gozitan students following courses at the University of Malta. It also serves as a study related experience for these more mature students.
The educational sector in Gozo continued to give positive results with regards to recently issued examination results. More than 74 per cent year 6 students passed their Junior Lyceum examinations, while others successfully completed Matriculation certificates at secondary and advanced levels. Good results were obtained in various subjects that included languages, science, information technology, mathematics, economics and accounts.