Minister Byron Camilleri meets with students during Freshers’ activities
More than 3,300 students are starting or continuing their educational journey at Ġan Franġisk Abela Junior College and Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School, as both institutions welcome students for a new academic year.
Minister for Education and Sport Byron Camilleri visited both institutions during the Freshers’ activities, where he met with students and visited various stands that are providing them with information about services, opportunities and activities that they can benefit from throughout the year.
During the visits, Minister Camilleri stressed that these years are an important stage in the educational and personal journey of young people, as they continue to build on their choices and prepare themselves for the next step.
“These are very important years in the journey of every student. Not only will you continue to work for your education, but you will continue to discover what you love, where you want to go and what you want to do in the future. Today we have different routes and opportunities because we believe that every student has their own aspirations, abilities and needs. Therefore, I encourage you to make the most of these years: study, ask questions, get involved, make friends and above all, seize the opportunities that lie ahead of you. For our part, we will continue to work so that every student has the opportunity to move forward and achieve their aspirations,” said Minister Camilleri.
At the Junior College, 2,094 students are pursuing various study programmes. The College offers the Matriculation Course through different routes, including Standard, Extra and Flexi, as well as programmes for students over 18 years of age and for those wishing to continue their studies in the fields of medicine and science. The Junior College also offers a Dual Career Pathway for student-athletes, so that they can continue their studies while continuing to develop their sporting career.
The Principal of the Junior College, Paul Xuereb, said, “We are delighted to be starting another academic year at the Junior College. We have been working and preparing for this year, and we are delighted that once again many students have chosen to attend the Junior College. During Freshers Week we are welcoming students and preparing them to enter the system in the best possible way. We are confident that we will have another successful year, just like we had last year.”
Minister Camilleri also visited the Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary School in Naxxar, which has a student population of around 1,267. Of these, around 960 are following the Matriculation Course, while other students are following the AIO Course and the AIO Foundation Programme, the Individual Study Programme for Adult Learners, the Medicine and Science Specialised Study Programme and GEM16+.
The school also places importance on individual student support, with classes limited to a maximum of 25 students and small group tutorials for Advanced level students. Each student is assigned a Deputy Head who monitors their progress, while guidance, counselling and learning support services are also offered.
The Head of the Higher Secondary School, Robert Magro, said, “Today we opened our doors to students through Freshers Day, for which there was a great commitment from teachers and Heads of Departments throughout the summer. Students are having the opportunity to visit various stands and obtain information from various entities, before normal school life begins on Monday. We welcome around 1,300 students and offer various courses at Advanced, Intermediate and SEC levels. I wish our students, as well as all students in Malta, that their educational journey during this year will be a positive one. I also thank the Ministry for Education and Sport for the assistance they provided us during the summer so that we could prepare and open the school for another year.”
Beyond studies, both Junior College and Higher Secondary offer students various opportunities to get involved in student life, taking part in activities, different initiatives and student organisations that help them develop beyond the classroom.
Photo: MES
