Prime Minister Robert Abela said that the government will soon present a new behavioural framework for students that is set to introduce new protocols on school behaviour, search procedures, and emergency responses in all schools.
The Prime Minister spoke at a discussion on the education sector on Sunday morning at MCAST.
He was accompanied MCAST Principal Stephen Vella, the Head of School of the Anton Agius Rabat Primary School Dorita Maniscalco, third-year veterinary student Michela Aquilina, and Analise Borg, who is a mother of two.
Abela said that before its publication, this framework will be distributed to Heads of Schools for consultation.
The implementation of this behavioural framework was listed as an electoral pledge in the Labour Party's electoral manifesto, he said.
Several other themes affecting young people, and particularly students, were mentioned during the discussion, such as Malta's adaptation to artificial intelligence (AI), the importance of continuing to invest in the education sector, and how far Malta's education sector has come in recent years.
The Prime Minister said that governments do not have all the solutions to AI or how social media is affecting the younger generation.
On AI, Abela said that while he understands the fears circling around this new technology, such fears "are normal with any change," though "fortunately," Maltese people are looking toward the opportunities being presented by it.
Similarly, MCAST Principal Stephen Vella remarked that AI doesn't scare him as he believes it to be a gateway that will open new horizons and help people become more efficient.
He appealed for lecturers and teachers to spread the message of responsible AI use, to help students analyse right from wrong better.
He also said that, with AI's rapid advancements, people must adapt to it and technology in general more quickly.
Prime Minister Abela said that the government is considering whether it should introduce blanket bans for those under the age of 13 to join certain social media platforms or whether time restrictions should be applied, among other ideas.
He commented that it irks him to see today's youths accumulate high daily screen times, sometimes exceeding the 9-hour mark.
He added that the onus to promote physical activity is another means to combat high screen times among Maltese adolescents.
Opening the discussion, Abela said that Malta, alongside other countries, is "seriously pre-occupied" by the "serious atrocities" being committed in Gaza.
"Children and civilians are suffering more than you could imagine on the ground. We cannot tolerate - not like we were - what is going on," the Prime Minister said.
He noted that while Maltese children are getting ready to start the new scholastic year this week, children on the eastern side of the Mediterranean are being given weapons while suffering from starvation and dehydration.
Abela appealed for peace to overcome this situation, though remarked that it is looking difficult to reach given that "we have two diametrically opposite sides at hand."
He said that "we cannot ignore what is happening on the other side of the world" with modern globalisation and expressed Malta's solidarity with all countries going through hardships.
On Maltese education, Abela said that his government will be working to provide improved working conditions for all educators while stressing that all students, irrespective of their backgrounds and challenges, must be positioned to keep advancing their education.
"We cannot permit anyone to fall behind. We will be allocating funding for Heads of Schools to distribute in areas where investment is most required," the Prime Minister said.
Abela said that education is arguably the most important sector to foster human wellbeing.
Coupling that with its nature to supporting children's development, he pledged stronger investments towards educational infrastructure in the future.
He also noted that the past closure of trade schools was a dire mistake that affected the Maltese job market for years afterwards.
He added that this year's budget, Budget 2027, will offer the Maltese islands with direction for where it's heading in the future.
"This budget will ensure that this country invests in the common good for the country," Abela said.
During this discussion, Head of School Maniscalco said that "education in Malta is much better than in other countries," noting that she and other teachers go to other schools abroad and think to themselves that Maltese schools are "excellent."
Veterinary student Michela Aquilina mentioned the initiatives offered to help veterinary students like herself to progress with these studies in Malta.
Following her comments, the Prime Minister spoke about the works done behind the scenes to introduce a veterinary course in Malta, where he said he dismissed concerns that Malta cannot offer the numbers to provide such a course.
Analise Borg - a mother of two - said that she saw huge improvements in her childhood school when her first-born first enrolled there, and even greater improvements when her second-born began going to school there a decade later.
Speaking positively of the support offered to her son in Year 4, she said that she'd like his school to install a calming room so that he and other students could have such a space within school grounds.
MCAST Principal Vella mentioned initiatives and investments being undertaken to improve this institution. He also noted that this week, Monday, 28 September, marks 25 years since MCAST first opened its doors.