New Stamp Issue: Pioneers in Education

On 24th September, the Office of the Postmaster General will issue a set of four stamps, Pioneers in Education, featuring local and foreign personalities who by their pioneering efforts established the basis for a wide ranging and extensive educational system available to all the population irrespective of their means.

Dr Albert V. Laferla LL.D. (1887 - 1943) started his connections with education in 1920 when he was appointed Director of Primary Schools, and was raised to Director of Education in 1934 when secondary education was added to his duties.

During his tenure of office he oversaw the creation of a new Teacher Training School and the establishment of Central Schools and Community Schools. The Compulsory Attendance Act of 1924 was enacted in his time. His greatest achievements were the raising of teachers' social, academic and professional standards. Known as a strict disciplinarian, due, in no small measure, to his previous military experience, he had a great sense of initiative and ability to originate new ideas and set them in motion. Dr A. V. Laferla was also a historian.

St. Emilie de Vialar (1797 - 1856) was born in Gaillac, France, of noble parents. From her early years she showed great compassion towards the poor of her town. She founded the Missionary Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Apparition on Christmas Eve, 1832. Ten years later, the ship on which she was travelling to Algiers from France was saved from a storm and entered the harbour of Malta. Miraculously saved and welcomed by the Maltese and the Governor alike, she opened a children's asylum for poor children in Cospicua. In 1845 a school for the higher classes was opened in Vittoriosa. The successors of these schools survive to this day. St Emilie de Vialar opened 42 convents in different countries before she died.

Mgr Paolo Pullicino M.A., D.D. (1815 - 1890) was a pioneer of Maltese education under early British rule. He was sent to study the system of education in Ireland, he returned to Malta and in 1850 he was appointed Director and Chief Inspector of Primary Schools and began to launch a primary education programme that extended schooling to all towns and villages in Malta. As Professor of Primary Instruction he set up a system of (primary) teacher training in the University which was far ahead of his times. He also opened the Valletta girls' secondary school, and a number of art, music and craft classes. An art critic and prolific writer, he was also for a time President of the Malta Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

Mgr Tommaso Gargallo (c. 1544 - 1614) obtained in 1592 the authority from Pope Clement VIII to open a college which would have the same educational function as a Seminary similar to those prescribed by the Council of Trent in 1563. The building of this College, in Valletta, was completed in 1602 and its running was entrusted to the Jesuits. Mgr Gargallo's creation eventually became the University of Malta.

This new issue has the following denominations: 6c, 16c, 19c and 26c.

This issue, which has been designed by Debbie Caruana Dingli, is available from all Branch and Sub-Post Offices.