I wish that children who start having difficulties in reading, writing and arithmetic would find the help from the very beginning. Investment has been done but it is not enough. There should be more complementary teachers and specialists who analyse why they are finding difficulties and find ways how to help them. Parents should be involved in this learning process.

The school should be a celebration of success which explores multiple intelligences. I wish that every student feel that s/he is succeeding at least in some things: dancing, drama, sports, singing, music, manual ability, etc. Why have schools not changed to include these things?

I wish that all students follow a core syllabus till Form 5. Options should be left for later. If need be, Sixth Form takes three years and entrance to university can be done at a later age.

Emphasis should be on the joy of reading at all stages.

I wish that teachers who are given the responsibility to teach and supervise students are also given the power to take decisions. It seems that good educators who wish to take decisions to restore order in schools and the class rooms find people higher up in the department who shirk their responsibility and do not support them.

The school should be a significant other in students’ lives if the home is not. And one cannot form characters without discipline and without encouragement, esteem and respect.

Science should be taught by people who are grounded in the subject, even in primary schools. Otherwise concepts are taught the wrong way and the scientific method is not caught. 

Joe Portelli

Nadur