As a serious incident in one of our schools unfolded earlier this week, parents, educators and students have turned to social media and media outlets to express their fears over this distressing incident.
Every parent, and rightly so, is worried that such an incident could repeat itself. Some put it on the different cultures and others on decision-makers having ignored the signs on the wall for a good number of years leading up to this incident.
There's no doubt that this should be a wake-up call for everyone. What happened is not an isolated incident, nor is it simply the result of one bad moment or one student's behaviour. It is the outcome of deeper, long-standing issues that have been ignored or placed under the carpet. If we truly want safer schools, then we must acknowledge the underlying problems that have brought us to this point.
Over the last 15 years, discipline standards have eroded. This didn't happen overnight; it is the cumulative effect of years spent avoiding decisions and prioritising convenience over consistency. It is evident that the culture of respect is declining heavily.
And instead of investing in smaller schools, where students feel supported or are accountable for their actions, we have expanded school populations beyond our control. Overcrowded institutions create environments where students feel disconnected or invisible for that matter. In such settings, relationships weaken, supervision becomes harder, and behavioural issues escalate unchecked.
Inclusion: a buzzword?
True inclusion requires resources, structure, planning, and realistic limits. What we often have instead is the placement of students with widely differing needs, challenges, and behavioural profiles into huge mainstream schools with insufficient support. That is not inclusion - it is a form of institutional neglect that fails vulnerable students and overwhelms educators.
Too many politicians and administrators avoid taking strong, necessary action because they fear backlash, criticism, or a decline in vote-catching. Real leadership demands courage, even when decisions are unpopular. By refusing to address problems openly and decisively, leadership has allowed small issues to become chronic.
We lack specialised schools for students who genuinely need them
Not every student can thrive in a mainstream environment - and that is not a failure. It is simply reality. Students with profound behavioural, emotional, or educational needs require specialised settings with trained staff, proper resources, and structured programmes. Pretending that mainstream classrooms can meet all needs helps no one. It is a hard decision to take to backtrack on this, but we have tried it, and it is simply not working.
When students learn that nothing meaningful happens after breaking rules, disrespecting staff, or harming peers, behaviour will only escalate. Accountability is not cruelty; it is a vital part of learning and safety.
We owe all the above to our students, teachers, parents and communities to confront these issues honestly. Ignoring root causes guarantees more incidents in the future. It is time for responsibility, reform, and leadership that places student wellbeing above political comfort.
When I suggested that former AFM personnel should be dispatched in schools, I meant it. Things change. One cannot compare these times to the incidents that occurred some 15 to 20 years ago.
And as things change, so does the need for rules. We need to adapt to today's scenarios.
George Muscat is a PN General election candidate on the 8th District.