Ethics teacher Luke Fenech has called for a fundamental rethink of Malta's education system, warning that it is merely preparing students for the job market at the expense of their personal growth, as he put forth a 100-policy document titled the Manifesto of Hope, with recommendations for a more human-centred education system.

Fenech spoke to The Malta Independent on Sunday about the policy document he compiled, which is aimed at rebalancing the system towards human-centred learning, while still meeting economic demands.

The document is divided into three pillars: a philosophy of humanising education, educators' agency and esteem and students as humans.

"When I summed up my experiences, research and conversations, I noticed three main issues. First, the philosophy of the system - what ends is our education serving? Second, how educators are perceived and supported. Third, the way we treat students. We are not treating them as human beings, but merely as prospective workers," he said.

Fenech said the first part of his document focuses on reorienting education around the human being.

"The education system must bear in mind that the human has to be at the centre," he said.

Among his proposals are policies to encourage encounters and the sharing of stories. He suggested a national journal or a magazine for students from across Malta and Gozo to contribute articles and short stories, which could also be used in lessons and teaching resources.

Another major recommendation is the integration of the humanities with STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, Fenech said.

"I am not saying one should be prioritised over the other, but the philosophy should be to integrate them both. The current National Curriculum Framework was last updated in 2012, and in the government's Vision 2050 document, the priority is clearly on STEM. This shows we are heading towards an end that is solely based on industry rather than building more human and empathetic people," he said.

Fenech also challenged the concept of "neutrality" in education, which he believes is used to silence educators.

"We are restricting educators. Where do you see educators or students speaking out? In very small instances, if at all. Nothing is neutral, least of all education. Neutralising something just puts a halt on progress," he said.

Explaining the document's second pillar, Fenech spoke of the need to elevate educators into public intellectuals rather than mere dispensers of knowledge.

"In other countries, educators protest with their students and have a sense of citizenship. We must treat educators as public intellectuals and emphasise continuous learning in the profession," he said.

He suggested lifelong learning opportunities for teachers, such as self-paced courses, as well as public campaigns to share educators' experiences.

Fenech said that his proposals also address mental and physical health issues in the profession, and policies to boost morale and retention.

"A school can be a very lonely place for an educator. With a full load of lessons, they spend the entire day with students and little time to connect with colleagues. These policies aim to improve both short-and long-term issues," he said.

The third pillar is dedicated to treating students as humans, more than just future workers.

"I proposed self-care measures for students, more parental involvement and building communities. For example, if a student is heavily involved in local feasts, they could spend one day a week during a certain time of year in community activities instead of school," Fenech said.

He recommended a broader curriculum and a workshop system in Year 9 (Form 3), allowing students to experience subjects for one or two months before choosing, to avoid misalignment and disengagement.

Fenech said that often, students end up choosing the wrong subjects, leading to less interest and perhaps more problems with behaviour.

"Empathy and solidarity are lacking in society. Everyone is more individualistic. It has to start from school," he said.

Fenech said he also wants schools to be safe, welcoming spaces for all, suggesting "quiet rooms" for students and teachers to manage any anxieties, and opening up school sports facilities for public use after hours for the community, to make use of such investments.

He also recommended that a section for teachers is included in schools' libraries, which they can make use of in their down-time.

Fenech said that older students especially, often confide in him about their frustrations with school, the education system, and society.

"Students speak. They tend to speak with certain teachers, not with everyone. I listen to a lot of students reaching out, speaking out, expressing their problems and frustrations with society, and the way things are being carried forward on a society level, for instance," Fenech said.

Fenech said that 15-, 16-year-olds, who are about to vote, often use his Ethics class to go over their frustrations and ideas.

"They are not equipped with the skills to vote, and they use the Ethics class to express their ideas. However, I am only one teacher - the whole system has to cater for these needs," he said.

Students' frustrations include how literature is assessed, which he believes reduces it to rote memorisation rather than appreciation.

"For example, how subjects such as literature are being assessed. Rather than appreciating the value of English or Maltese literature, we are reducing it to a memory recall exercise; just to get a particular mark. It is like a report," Fenech said.

"One student told me that if he wasn't assessed by memory, he would start to love the subject. He stated it as it is. That shouldn't be ignored," Fenech said.

He said that certain poems and prose, such as Aqta' Fjura u Ibni Kamra by Immanuel Mifsud, is a pertinent poem that all can relate with.

"Even the way that certain prose is being chosen should be re-evaluated, in my opinion, to tackle certain problems that we have in society. The idea is to instil this idea of citizenship and critical thinking, which I think is also underestimated and sometimes used as a buzzword," Fenech said.

He also criticised the categorisation of students based solely on academic results, which can make those deemed "less academic" feel inferior.

"We still have this system in place in which students are categorised based on their academic results. I am not saying that it is a bad idea to separate students, but I tend to find that certain students who are "less academic, or less achieving" than other students, might be treated differently," Fenech said. "And these students feel it, certain students are putting forward their concerns on that," he added.

He continued that students feel the issues with society, such as the environment, and politics. "They do talk about politics, so we underestimate how students perceive politics," Fenech said. Asked if students view politics in a negative light, Fenech replied in the affirmative, however, he said that these youths are still energetic and optimistic that things can change. "That is something that empowers me," he said.

Another aspect is the students' own sense of purpose and self, as Fenech said that they are bombarded with social media and expectations from the system, as well as of the notion of prioritising only what the person will do with their life, and their choice of career.

This, he said, is affecting their own sense of purpose, and their energy to discover and transform themselves.

Education reform often faces resistance from institutions, educators or maybe parents. Fenech was asked what challenges he anticipated in getting these recommendations put forward. He anticipated resistance from within the system itself.

"Not everyone loves the education system - some love the chair they hold, and tend to not care about change, if the education system is not in their hearts. There is bureaucracy, and a lack of collegiality and shared values. Improving education is not a one-man show," he said.

Fenech said he believed many educators remain silent out of fear of repercussions, but that without collective action, change will remain slow.

The Manifesto is intended as a contribution to the government's Vision 2050 plan. Fenech said he tried to contact five government officials but only one responded, which he is set to meet.

"From the people who can actually change things, from the horse's mouth, the government, I was not met with interest. It is a pity," he said.

Still, he said he plans to keep pushing through his initiative, even on his Facebook page, Barra l-klassi (Outside the classroom) - a platform to promote policies and observations on improving education.

"An educator is not just the conduit of knowledge. I believe an educator is a public intellectual, not limited to the class," he said, adding that educators should practise their profession even beyond classroom walls.

He said that there were many people who reached out to him, including people not specifically related to politics, as well as educators, companies and individuals who have an interest in education, and some people in politics, to discuss the document.

"There is interest, and it is growing, thankfully. Unfortunately, the core people who can make change a bit easier, the people who are there occupying certain positions, when contacted were unresponsive, and this is a shame," Fenech said.

Fenech also urged other educators and stakeholders to step up and speak out.