We all agree that education is important. We proudly talk about free schooling, exam results, and new buildings. However, when it comes to preparing young people to be democratic citizens, our education system is falling short.

Too often, Maltese education focuses solely on preparing students for the labour market or subsequent exams. The essential values of active citizenship - such as critical thinking, ethical reflection, and civic responsibility - are seen as optional extras. As a result, society becomes increasingly anxious, polarised, and politically disengaged. We know how to pass tests. But do we know how to stand up for our freedoms?

Democratic Vision 2050 sees this failure as a danger to our republic. A democracy relies not only on laws but also on a culture of participation, fairness, and vigilance. That culture must be learned, lived, and passed down.

Right now, we're not doing enough.

Many young people finish school without understanding how our institutions operate, what rights they possess, or how to challenge injustice. They are not encouraged to question authority, engage with current affairs, or consider different worldviews. In some instances, political discussion is actively discouraged. Civic education is disjointed, outdated, or absent from the curriculum.

This is not just an educational problem - it is a democratic crisis.

Because without civic literacy, people are easily manipulated. They vote without understanding the consequences. They accept corruption as inevitable. They retreat into tribal loyalties and stop believing in the possibility of change.

Repubblika believes it's time to put citizenship back at the heart of education. Not just as a subject, but as a purpose.

That starts with embedding civic education across the curriculum - not just in Social Studies, but in History, Languages, Ethics, Religion, even Science. Students should understand how decisions are made, how power is exercised, and what responsibilities come with rights.

But civic education is not only about facts. It's about values: fairness, respect, inclusion, and accountability. It's about developing the skills to think critically, debate civilly, and act responsibly. That's why teaching must go beyond rote learning and foster discussion, reflection, and problem-solving.

We also need to support teachers. Many educators feel unprepared or lack support when it comes to teaching civic themes, particularly those that touch on politics or ethics. They require resources, training, and space to handle these topics with confidence and sensitivity.

Beyond the classroom, schools must evolve into communities of democratic practice. Students should participate in decision-making through active student councils. They should experience genuine participation, not superficial consultation. Discipline should be applied with fairness and transparency, reinforcing the idea that rules are legitimate only when they are fair.

And let's not forget that civic learning doesn't end at 16. Adult civic education is almost non-existent in Malta. Yet many adults are eager to understand the world they live in: the media they consume, the institutions that govern them, the rights they hold. We advocate for a national strategy for lifelong civic education, including public campaigns, free resources, and collaborations with NGOs, unions, and community groups.

Throughout this process, civil society plays a crucial role. NGOs, cultural organisations, and activist networks need to be engaged in democratic education, encompassing a range of activities from town hall meetings and community debates to online explainers and street-level activism. These efforts should be supported.

We must also face the elephant in the room: partisan control of education policy. Too much of our education system is influenced by political considerations. We need independent oversight and depoliticised governance to ensure that education benefits students, not political parties.

If we want a society that values justice, freedom, and democracy, we must teach what those words mean. Not in abstract terms, but in the context of daily life: in how we treat one another, how we solve problems, how we live together.

This is not about indoctrination. It's about equipping people to think for themselves-and to act for the common good.

Because we cannot defend democracy if we don't understand it. And we cannot understand it if we never learn how it works.

Read the full vision at www.repubblika.org/democracy2050. Let's not raise a generation of obedient workers. Let's raise citizens. Malta deserves nothing less.

Sandro Rossi, Committee Member, Repubblika