“Early investments in children’s health, education, and development have benefits that compound throughout the child’s lifetime, for their future children, and society as a whole.”
This is stated in the WHO-UNICEF-Lancet Commission’s report entitled ‘A future for the world’s children?’ published recently. Malta placed 18th in the world where children’s wellbeing is concerned. Children’s wellbeing is based on health and education amongst other factors. The report is clear: “Just as good health and nutrition in the prenatal period and early years lay the foundation for a healthy life course, the learning and social skills we acquire at a young age provide the basis for later development and support a strong national polity and economy.”
The report says that countries that support future generations put a high priority on ensuring all children’s needs are met, by delivering entitlements, such as paid parental leave, free primary health care at the point of delivery, access to healthy—and sufficient amounts of food, state funded or subsidised education, and other social protection measures.
I am pleased to note that Malta is at the forefront of these priorities. Our ambition is to continue to move forward and strengthen further the wellbeing of our children.
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Educators make crucial contributions to the development and well-being of children and youth, a key role due to their close relationships with children and families. The Directorate for Educational Services was crucial in drawing guidelines on the weight and carriage of schoolbags, which I launched this week.
One of the budgetary measures for 2020 looks at the weight and carriage of schoolbags, an issue which has been present for the past 20 years and should definitely be addressed. It is vital that we ensure that our students are well taken care of, and through the publication of these guidelines, we are continuing towards a holistic roadmap which targets the wellbeing of our students. Excessive weight of schoolbags can have a negative impact on children’s dispositions and health, and it is for these reasons that the Directorate for Educational Services has drawn up guidelines for schools, learners and parents to remedy the issue.
Research carried out by the Malta Association of Physiotherapists in collaboration with Mater Dei’s Paediatrics Department and the Ministry for Education and Employment has indicated that the majority of students from the representative sample who took part in this study shows that the weight they carry is more than what is recommended.
The study, carried out among students aged 8 to 13 years, indicated that over 70% of the subjects had a schoolbag that exceeded the recommended 10% bag weight to body weight.
Subsequent studies carried out by the Directorate for Educational Services within the Ministry for Education and Employment have indicated that the causes of heavy schoolbags are, in the main, attributed to the carriage of textbooks followed by that of files and water bottles, and that is why a programme involving the installation of drinking water fountains and lockers within state schools has been drawn up.
The guidelines published are intended to create further awareness of the issue in question and, more importantly, to provide concrete indications as to how the issue can be dealt with. Schools and educators are encouraged to take on board the proposals indicated in the guidelines. These are split in 3 sections, one for the schools, one for the students of primary and secondary schools, and another for their parents.
Some of the guidelines are that schools are encouraged to use timetables and try to have lessons in rooms which are near if the school’s layout permits. It is being recommended that learners carry loose sheets in plastic sheets and be taught how to manage them well, instead of bringing files. Teachers are encouraged to avoid clipping together materials for a whole year and to make use of digital technology. Lockers can help reduce schoolbag weight, as well as drinking water fountains, if installed in places which can be easily supervised. Schools are encouraged to form policies on the issue in question.
Students are encouraged to avoid taking books to school which do not form part of the timetable and to put tablet in the case provided and not in their school bag. The guidelines also advise students on how to pack their bag, with placing heavier items closer to the back, and to not carry unnecessary items.
Parents are encouraged to avoid bulky lunch cases, to check their child’s timetable so that they do not take unnecessary items and to look for second-hand textbooks or books which have been previously bought by relatives to keep them at home, so that students would be able to keep a copy in class. They are also encouraged to purchase well-designed backpacks and to help in correcting their child’s lifting technique.
These guidelines are currently under consultation, a process which is open until the end of April 2020 and can be viewed on: https://education.gov.mt/en/Pages/Guidelines-Weight-Schoolbags.aspx
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This week I visited the Malta Visual Performing Arts School. The school aims to move forward along a dual pathway, namely, the artistic as well as the academic one, and looks into the nurturing of the artistic and cultural potential of all its students in the Visual Arts, Drama, Dance, Media Studies and Music.
I strongly believe about the importance of introducing the performing arts from an early stage. Through this school, we are offering young Secondary School students another choice in their educational journey. We are providing young artists with the opportunity to further enhance their artistic ability by way of consolidating their actual talent levels, whilst also continuing to strengthen their proficiency in core academic subjects.
The Malta Visual and Performing Arts School strives to operate as a culturally diverse community of students, parents and staff, dedicated to creating an enriching environment for each individual. Each secondary student attending the school is motivated to reach their full personal, academic and cultural potential to serve as an inspiration to others in years to come.
The school falls under the administration of St Thomas More College, but is still to be considered as a national school, much like the National Sports School. This educational institution gives young artists the opportunity to enhance further their artistic nous and rationality by way of consolidating their actual talent levels without renouncing their proficiency in core academic subjects. In fact, The Malta Visual and Performing Arts School aims to move forward along a dual pathway, namely, the artistic as well as the academic one.
The setting up of the school, which opened its doors in November 2018 was a Ministerial decision based on an electoral promise by the Government, in order to enhance the Arts within our community. This Government is committed to continue to provide more possibilities for our learners.