While stressing the importance of moving towards a more inclusive and holistic education system, in which every student as a whole individual is nurtured, as opposed to the factory-style drilling that persists in Malta, Dr Jonathan Borg, a teacher by profession and lecturer at the University of Malta, pointed out that it all begins and ends with the teachers.
With the emphasis of a holistic education being based on the educators, Borg, a lecturer in the Department for Inclusion and Access to Learning at the Faculty of Education, told The Malta Independent on Sunday that "whenever there is a shortage of teachers, regardless of the sector, it is the students who bear the brunt".
He added that "the reality is that while some 'privileged' students benefit from additional support outside of school, the ones who suffer the most are those who are vulnerable and who rely solely on the education system for their learning. These students depend entirely on schools to provide them with the education and support they need".
Borg said that the start of another scholastic year is always an opportunity to reflect on the strengths and potential growth areas of the Maltese education system. "There are certainly aspects of the system that strive to offer a holistic education, addressing not only the academic performance of our students but also their social, emotional and developmental needs. I have no doubt about this and I have experienced this first-hand, too. Many teachers, learning support educators and school leadership teams work hard to organise extracurricular activities, to provide students with emotional support and to create opportunities for personal growth," he said.
Borg said that for students to receive a high-quality education, meaning one that enables them to succeed and for the education strategy to be fully realised, "we need to create supportive working conditions that make the teaching profession more attractive, particularly in terms of recruitment and retention. Recently, we have seen the negotiation of a new collective agreement for teachers. While financial incentives, such as improved salaries, are positive steps, we also need to invest more in the professional development of teachers. This includes providing pre-service and in-service training that directly addresses the diverse challenges teachers face in the 21st century classroom, ensuring that teachers feel confident in their ability to handle these challenges effectively".
In light of the recent and concerning Eurostat data, showing that less than 40% of Maltese students have completed upper secondary education, Borg pointed out that in countries with higher rates of continued education, the emphasis is often placed on individualised learning paths and student well-being, rather than sorting students by ability from a young age. He explained that this "sorting" is known as "streaming", meaning the grouping of students by ability which is argued, by some, to offer more targeted support to students. However, "in reality, streaming limits opportunities for students to reach their full potential", he said.
Borg said that abroad, where the emphasis is placed on individualised learning paths, "this focus fosters a more positive and nurturing learning environment, which has been supported by various studies. It's not just a matter of personal opinion. Ultimately, this leads to higher retention rates in education".
"We must carefully evaluate the quality of individualised support that we are providing to neurodiverse learners to ensure their needs are being effectively met. This includes enhancing both pre-service and in-service training for teachers and learning support educators, so they are fully equipped to support all students. Moreover, we need to focus on eliminating outdated practices that segregate students based on ability or, even more concerning, disability. It's crucial that we shift towards a more inclusive and supportive system that not only recognises but values the unique strengths and potential of every student," he said.
For Borg, the alarming Eurostat data clearly suggests there is room to explore more inclusive and flexible educational strategies, "with the goal of ensuring that all students receive the support and opportunities they need to thrive on two levels: the academic and the personal".
"I believe significant progress has been made in the area of vocational education and training, and the developing niches in this area look promising. However, there remains an urgent need for further advancements in the field of inclusive education. We must, collectively, establish a clear and comprehensive vision of inclusive education to guide policies and practices," he said.
Borg stressed that the key to other countries' success in continued education may lie in their more inclusive and flexible educational approaches. "These approaches might help reduce pressure on students, offering them a sense of support that encourages them to stay in education for longer," he said.
When asked to comment on Malta's notorious and stubborn "exam culture", Borg said, "an excessive focus on examinations might obscure students' exposure to the broader educational experience; the development of transversal skills and critical thinking, as we said earlier, which are crucial for any individual. In my opinion, a strong focus on exams whereby students are motivated by grades rather than by a genuine passion for learning is too much of a narrow focus of education".
Moreover Borg explained that "in terms of higher education, if students are primarily oriented towards achieving high exam results, they might not always be prepared for the more self-directed and critical learning that is required, particularly at higher education levels. This can potentially affect their engagement and success in advanced studies.
Honing in on his insight into the Maltese "exam culture" Borg concurred that it has a certain persistence and called it a "long-standing issue". "Let's face it: Malta's exam culture is a complex issue. On one hand, exams provide a structured way to assess knowledge and ensure students meet academic standards, which is important for progress in education and career pathways. However, the real challenge arises when students excel in exams but do not acquire the broader skills necessary to let's say 'navigate' the complexities of life and work."
"So, what use is it to pass examinations with flying colours if one cannot think critically, solve problems or adapt to challenges on the workplace? While achieving high grades may open doors, the ability to analyse, innovate and collaborate are skills that cannot be measured purely through exam results. Without these transversal skills, such as critical thinking, communication and emotional intelligence, students may struggle to function effectively in any professional environment, where practical application of knowledge is often more important than theoretical mastery," he said.
Probing further into the "exam culture", Borg was asked about one of its arguable symptoms: spoon-feeding, that is the buying of note-packs from stationers near schools as opposed to being given the basics and encouraged to read further. "The issue of students being spoon-fed material is concerning in any education system, not only locally. Such approaches prioritise memorisation over deep learning. I do not blame students who try to seek efficiency in their study habits, especially when under pressure to perform well in exams, or when students feel overwhelmed by the volume of content they need to cover in a short period of time. But when the focus of the assessment is on simply absorbing information for the purpose of passing exams, students may not fully engage with what they need to learn. Rote learning and simply memorising facts will not develop the critical thinking and analytical skills that are necessary for educational success that is long-term," he said.
However, Borg went further than the "traditional" stationery note-packs and asked: "What about the practice of copying and pasting information from the web? While the internet and AI tools are, inarguably, an invaluable resource for research, if students rely on these methods without proper engagement or effective understanding, this can contribute to a surface-level grasp of the material rather than true comprehension." For Borg, the bottom line is: "We need students to critically evaluate sources of info, be able to synthesise ideas and apply their gained knowledge to new situations in functional contexts. These opportunities are missed when information is consumed passively."
Going back to the ideal, holistic education system as opposed to an "assembly-line" of students, Borg said that "if we start to view learning as a purely unidirectional process, where teachers simply feed content and students passively absorb it, the 'factory' metaphor begins to feel unsettlingly true. In this production line scenario, the essence of holistic development is overshadowed by a focus on output and numbers of marks, often driven by negative competition. So, in reality, a system that, exclusively, prioritises academic performance at the expense of fostering creativity, critical thinking, emotional intelligence and collaboration risks falling into this 'factory-like' mode".
Borg pointed out that currently the Maltese education system sometimes tends to focus on the product or statistics in the process, however he insisted that, "We must never lose sight of the fact that students are individuals with unique emotional, social and intellectual needs. So, it is crucial to nurture not only their academic growth but also their humane qualities - empathy, resilience, compassion and their ability to problematise issues and develop their critical thinking abilities. Education should inspire children to become skilled and competent individuals, but also compassionate members of society".
A subtle yet positive change may be in motion however with Borg saying that "the recent push by President Myriam Spiteri Debono to promote critical thinking offers hope for a gradual but steady shift in focus. By promoting these skills, we prepare students not only for exams but also for the complexities of life beyond the classroom. Our education system should do more than produce top marks and A grades - it should equip students with the tools to render them capable of contributing meaningfully to society".