Today around the world the Education Day is celebrated, which this year has the theme ‘Learning for Lasting Peace’. For this occasion the Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation Clifton Grima visited the Naxxar Primary School, Maria Regina College and while he met with the students of – fifth year, presented them with copies of the book ‘Il-Papagall tas-Surmast’.
The book, which will be used during Personal Social Career Development (PSCD) lessons, aims to help students avoid bullying, take positive action, learn who to ask for help in case of bullying, as well as how they should help in case they see cases of someone being bullied.
The theme of the book reflects the theme of this Day, which this year is raising awareness about world challenges: climate change, conflicts, inequalities, discrimination, hate speech, violence and conflict on a global scale, and how education emerges as a powerful tool both to address and prevent these challenges in the future.
In his message to the students, Minister Grima said “The choice whether we are good people or not and the way we act with others reflects the way we are with ourselves. This applies in our behavior in everything. From a young age it is important to look ahead to our future, and start building ourselves to be worthy and responsible citizens.”
He reminded the students what those acts are that consist of bullying, and that this can take various forms. It does not mean only physical acts, or that a person is excluded from a group, that a person is set aside, an extra word that affects the person, but also, with the development of electronic and digital means, cyber bullying, that is when this is being done through electronic or online means of communication.
Minister Grima also reminded that any form of bullying is bad and should not happen. “Cases of bullying can lead to dire consequences. But it is also important that those who fall victim, are not afraid to come forward and talk about the problems they are going through,” said Minister Grima.
He continued that many times those who end up being a victim of bullying find it difficult to defend themselves and this book is intended to help them come forward and speak both if they go through cases of bullying and for those who see or know of some form of bullying on others, to talk to an adult, the educator, the parents or any other person with whom they feel safe.
The book that examines the difference between being passive, aggressive and assertive, has writing and illustrations by Dunstan Hamilton and tells the story of Anita, a girl who starts to be bullied, and of course, as mentioned in the title of -the book, the headmaster’s parrot, is the hero of this story.
The book, which also has an English version, also mentions the service provided by the Ministry for Education, through the Anti-Bullying Services within the National School Support Services, as well as the help that one can he finds out when he calls the number 179.
