ADULT EDUCATION IN MALTA

1
ADULT EDUCATION IN MALTA

• Peter Mayo
• University of Malta

2
HISTORICAL VIEW

• For several years, adult education was
  associated with
• adult literacy and vocational training for
  emigration
• churchs larger social network
• Continuing professional development

3
CONTEMPORARY PROVISION

• Adult Literacy
• Social purpose adult education
• Education of the elderly
• Workers education
• Vocational adult education
• Education in prisons
• Adult Education and IT
• TEFLA
• Community education
• Parent Education

4
MAIN AGENCIES (tentative)

• The Church
• State Institutions and state funded agencies
• Commercial Entities
• Trade Unions
• Political parties
• Broadcasting stations
• NGOs
• University

5
CHURCH

• Adult literacy
• Biblical reading
• Catechesis
• Family education
• Programmes for specific target groups
• Specialised religious courses for lay persons
  (eg. Patristic studies, University diploma/degree
  courses)
• Community education (eg. Paulo Freire Inst.)

6
STATE INSTITUTIONS

• Education Division, Ministry of Education
  (formerly Education Department) through its Dept.
  of Further Studies and Adult Education
• Foundation for Educational Services
• MINISTRY FOR SOCIAL POLICY
• responsible for the Employment Training
  Corporation

7
COMMERCIAL ENTITIES

• HRD
• ICT
• T.E.F.L.A.
• COURSES FOR DEGREES / DIPLOMAS AWARDED BY
  FOREIGN BODIES

8
Trade unions

• GWU and CMTU active, over the
• years, in tool and issue courses.
• GWU set up the Reggie Miller
• Foundation (centre for workers and adult
  education).
• CMTU courses for activists and
• courses in social studies for
• general public

9
POLITICAL PARTIES

• The two major political parties each have their
  radio and television station.
• The PN is closely connected to AZAD which
  traditionally focused on political education.
• The MLP has its Fondazzjoni Mikiel Anton
  Vassalli, also focusing on political education.
  Together with the GWU it set up GEM Foundation.

10
BROADCASTING STATIONS

• There are 8 Maltese television channels and
  roughly around 33 Maltese radio stations. 20
  radio stations are community oriented. 13
  transmit nationally.
• Most of these stations have programmes with an
  obvious educational content.
• Two stations have been set up specifically with
  an educational purpose in mind campus fm (radio)
  and Education 22 (State television channel)

11
NON-GOVERNMENTALORGANISATIONS

• Many NGOs linked to a larger entity their
  founder or ideological /financial provider.
  eg.political parties, Church.
• Many NGOs are community-based, interest centred
  organisations, small in membership.
• Some are dependant on foreign donor agencies and
  now the EU.
• They rely mostly on voluntary work with members
  undertaking multifunctional roles.

12
UNIVERSITY

• Late 40s. Earliest recorded courses, for adults
  in the evening, were in public admin., commerce
  and education.
• 1960. The first B.A. evening degree was
  introduced following Universitys consultations
  with the teachers union, Malta Union of
  Teachers.
• 1967. In light of Vatican II, theology diploma
  evening courses were introduced.
• 70s and 80s. Extension studies board in place.
• 1978-1987. Worker-Student Scheme

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UNIVERSITY CONT.

• 1981. Workers Participation Development Centre
  set up.
• Late 80s, following the dismantling of faculties
  of arts and science, evening diploma courses in
  the arts and in Maths, Computing and Logic were
  introduced.
• 1987. Faculties of Arts and Science reinstated
  and evening degree courses resumed.

14
UNIVERSITY CONT.

• 90s. Setting up of the University Gozo Centre
• 1992/93 First academic appointment in ACE. Gives
  rise to an AE programme in the Faculty of
  Education.
• 1993. Setting up of the University of the Third
  Age.
• 2003. Senate approves first evening degree
  programme at Honours level (Youth and Community
  Studies).

15
IMMEDIATE AND FUTURE PROSPECTS

• Concept of Lifelong Learning at the heart of
  contemporary hegemonic educational discourse.
• EU Memo on Lifelong Learning a key source of
  reference.
• Minister appointed a team to produce a draft
  consultative document for the development of a
  national lifelong learning strategy.

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IMMEDIATE AND FUTURE PROSPECTS

• NMC also allows for adult education provision,
  recommending that schools be developed as
  COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTRES
• The EU, through its Socrates (Grundtvig action)
  and Leonardo programmes, serves as a catalyst for
  the development of AE.

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AE IN MALTA

• THE END
• Thank you