A success story in Adult Education

This morning, Friday 20th June the Minister of Education and National Culture, the Hon. Evarist Bartolo, distributed Certificates to those adults who attended Literacy Courses and Adult Education Courses organised by the Further Studies and Adult Education Department of the Education Division. In his speech the Minister said that the teachers are to keep in mind that their students are not young children but adults and so the relationship between teacher and students is to be kept on an equal footing.

The Further Studies and Adult Education Department of the Education Division organises several courses every year. Most of them, like the Literacy Courses in Basic English, Basic Maltese, Basic Mathematics and Maltese for Foreigners are held in the evenings. But the Adult Education Unit organises also an Adult Education course in the morning. This is held at the Íian Franíisk Complex (today's Junior College) at Msida.

During the scholastic year 1995-96 the influx of students for this course was almost two hundred students. These were mostly females, although there were also about five male students.

The female students were mostly made up of housewives. Most of these were young and not so young mothers who could afford to attend lessons while their children were at school. In fact, lessons were held between 9.15a.m. to 12.30p.m. So mothers were able to take their little ones to school in the morning, and later to pick them up (or be back home to welcome them back in the afternoon.

The subjects available at this particular Adult Education Centre were taught at Secondary School level. There were three groups namely: Group 1 or Beginners equivalent to Form I and II; Group 2 equivalent to Forms III and IV and Group 3 leading to the MATSEC examination. Students could take any subject or a combination of subjects from a list of six subjects viz: English, Italian, Maltese, French and Mathematics. One can notice that there was a bias in favour of languages.

In fact, the most popular subjects were English and Italian, vying with each other which of them to top the list of choice. However, there was also a substantial number of students who studied the other subjects too. French seemed to be the most difficult to choose as the number of students taking it was the smallest. Notwithstanding that, the interest in French had grown from the previous years.

At the end of the same scholastic year there was a record number of students who sat for the MATSEC examination. When the results were published there was pleasant surprise. Out of thirtystudents who sat in various exams at MATSEC 'O' level in 1996 twenty obtained a pass! These were in all subjects. Two students have started a course at the University of Malta in Adult Development and in Psychology as mature students.

The students who frequented this course did so for various reasons. There were several, particularly the young and early middle-aged women who wanted to obtain a recognised certificate to enable them to get better qualifications; now that their children were of school age or grown-ups, they were becoming interested in finding employment outside the home. The number of such women is ever increasing in our country. There are others, particularly young mothers, who are interested in improving their knowledge in one or more subjects in order to be able to help their children in their homework and study. Others still, just wish to learn a language (or Mathematics) further for self-satisfaction.

Most, if not all, would like a second chance to enhance their education. As several of the female students complain: "Our parents have taken us out of school prematurely in order to help in the housework. Now that we've got another chance to learn we are not going to miss it."

The Adult Section of the Further Studies and Adult Education bends backward to make this course as successful as possible. The lessons are carried out during a space of time most convenient for women students when they get themselves some free time to attend. Naturally, they have to programme their precious time to find enough space for their lessons.

The Education Officer (Adult Education) organises educational and cultural activities including excursions to help these students enlarge their cultural horizon too. A good number of them really needs such cultural excursions; several have never even been anywhere near, say, a historical building!

During 1995-96, the students at the Msida Centre were taken to visit the Maritime Museum in Vittoriosa, and to watch 'The Malta Experience' and 'The War Experience'. They really enjoyed these cultural outings as an enriching experience.

The 'legend' goes on ..... This scholastic year (1996-97) the number of students has gone up to about two hundred and forty-seven. The number of subjects has been increased by the introduction of Social Studies. We are trying to keep in line with UNESCO proposals to teach civic education / human rights. So this year, the students can choose their favourite subject or subjects from a wider list. Several are also determined to sit for MATSEC in different subjects. Everything is being done to produce a learner centred approach with an Adult environment bias at this centre.

They are also being taken again on educational and cultural outings. They have been taken to see 'Jane Eyre' based on Charlotte Bronte's literacy masterpiece, as well as, the historical video 'The Mdina Experience'. The satisfaction and enthusiasm shown by over a hundred Adult Students at these two cultural activities constitute a stimulant to carry out with such extra curriculum programmes.

The Adults Centre at Msida has rightly attracted the interest of the local mass media. Several radios have broadcast programmes with officials of the Further Studies and Adult Department of the Education Division; so also, newspapers published interviews with the same officials on the importance of this Centre.

The Ministry of Education and National Culture, through the Further Studies and Adult Education, has every intention of giving its continued attention and importance to such programmes of Adult Education to make of it a continuous success.