More than 55,000 students last Monday returned to primary and secondary schools which opened their doors again after the summer holidays. For some, it will be the first year of official schooling, although most of them already have had the experience of being in a class at pre-school level. For others, it will be their last year of obligatory schooling, and then they will have to make up their mind whether to continue or not. Let’s hope that most will decide to pursue their studies.

The first few days will be utilized to settle down the students in their new routine – and not only at school. Families will have to adjust to the schooldays mode, so much time is taken up by homework, and one can already see heavier traffic in our roads in the morning and early afternoon.

The government education system has undergone structural changes throughout these past years. The college system has been introduced to coordinate things better and examinations for the transition between primary and secondary schooling have been eliminated. The effects of these changes will have to be gauged in a few years’ time.

The promise made by the government to deliver a new school every year has so far been maintained, and the summer months were used to carry out maintenance work which would have otherwise been impossible to carry out in the presence of the students.

Still, our education system – Malta has the shortest school year and among the shortest school day – is not geared to offer a comprehensive upbringing for our youngsters. Too much emphasis is still laid on the academic subjects, those that will lead the students to higher education. On the other hand, there is little time for other activities that will help the students improve their social skills.

The start of a new scholastic year also brings with it the usual problems that are faced every year – and which unfortunately are not tackled in time to be avoided. This year, for example, it seems that issues concerning the provision of uniforms were more disconcerting than in previous years, as parents have complained that they were not in a position to buy uniforms for their children as these were not available.

It is also evident that expenses for parents continue to rise every year – and in these first two days of schooling many students have returned home with a list of things to buy, given by individual teachers. It is a pity that schools do not organize themselves well to make things easier for parents, many of whom have to visit stationers every day in the first week to buy items required by their children.

It would be much better, and much easier, if all teachers pool in with their requirements which are then given in one list on the first day of school. This newspaper has made this appeal every year, but it has not been heeded.