The Minister for Education Justyne Caruana made three visits to schools in Gozo; Qala Primary School, Nadur Primary School, as well as Zebbug Primary School. In all the schools she visited, Minister Caruana saw closely the work of educators and LSEs, as well as spoke about their work and needs.
“This is a principle that I strongly believe in,” said Minister Caruana, “which is to have direct contact with all those who work in this sector, at the forefront of educators and LSEs, who they are seeing so much dedication in advancing education with our children. ”
The visit to Olive Primary School was also a very significant one. In fact, after a four year journey characterized by training, dedication and work, Zebbug Primary School, Gozo, was awarded the merit of being called Dyslexia Friendly School.
This merit has also been made possible by the support of the SpLD service, which has helped teachers embrace dyslexia-related strategies, including multisensory learning, differentiated learning, study-facilitating strategies and student memory, such as the Look, Say, Cover and Check method highlighting and color-coding. The love of reading has been strengthened among all students through initiatives such as Drop Everything and Read and with the help of the Reading Ruler. Through these strategies, every student in the school has benefited, but especially the students who have this condition.
“This is the path we want to see in the education system, that every student is included and no one is left out in the educational path so important for each and every one of them,” said Minister Caruana.
Visits to Qala and Nadur primary schools were also held on the occasion of a day commemorated by the United Nations on 5 December, Soil Day. These two schools are participants in the EkoSkola program, an initiative run locally by Nature Trust – FEE Malta, and which is an international program for all schools, helping them towards education for sustainable development.
Minister Caruana, while praising such initiatives, said they provide an educational sphere that increases awareness of the importance of the environment. She also said that the Ministry must continue to ensure that students are given more and more opportunities to broaden their knowledge beyond traditional education, thus stimulating a broader knowledge on the subjects.
The Minister for Education also took the opportunity to speak directly to the students. While congratulating them in their studies, she told the students that they are a very important part of the education system and therefore their opinion is very valuable to her.
“I would like you to send me your ideas, opinions and even your criticism of everything you want, so that together we will not only improve, but we will be fully participating for your own good,” said Minister Caruana.
During her visits to each school, Minister Justyne Caruana was accompanied by the respective Heads of Schools.
Photo: MFED
