Filwaqt li nhar it-Tnejn u t-Tlieta kulħadd hu mistenni jmur għall-ġurnata
tax-xogħol tiegħu, l-iskejjel kollha ta’ Malta u Għawdex se jibqgħu magħluqin.
Ngħidha mill-ewwel u bla tlaqlieq: dawn il-vaganzi huma żejda u għandhom
jitneħħew mill-kalendarju skolastiku darba għal dejjem.
Jew hekk, jew l-ewwel
tlett ijiem ta’ Novembru jsiru festi pubbliċi u kulħadd joqgħod bi kwietu d-dar
jew imur dawra sal-Buskett.
Jien u nikteb, hemm min qed jitkarrab biex nhar it-Tnejn joħroġ bil-leave, hemm iktar fortunat u rranġa man-nanna, hemm min qed jaħseb li jaqbeż qabża s’għand it-tabib tal-familja u hemm min għadu ma jafx x’se jaqbad jagħmel.
Meta naqbad dan l-argument ma’ ħbieb tiegħi għalliema, dejjem jgħiduli li xogħolhom mhuwiex li jieħdu ħsieb it-tfal biex il-ġenituri jkunu jistgħu imorru għax-xogħol. Għandhom raġun. Xogħolhom hu li jgħallmu. U nhar it-Tnejn u t-Tlieta m’hemm ebda raġuni valida biex ma jmorrux jgħallmu.
Barra minn hekk ħafna għalliema spiss jilmentaw li qed isibuha diffiċli jlaħħqu s-sillabu kollu fil-ġranet li għandhom għad-dispożizzjoni tagħhom. Allura jekk dawn il-jumejn ma jibqgħux vaganzi, jaf iservuhom ta’ providenza.
Peress illi nifhem li dawn il-vaganzi x’aktarx huma parti minn pakkett innegozjat mal-union tal-għalliema, nifhem li jekk ikun se jinbidel xi ħaġa f’dan is-sens ikun jeħtieġ titpatta b’xi mod jew ieħor. Għaldaqstant, il-Gvern jeħtieġ jibda n-negozjati mal-MUT u jekk ikun hemm bżonn idaħħal idu fil-but, idaħħalhom.
I will tell you without any hesitation - I honestly do not think you are qualified enough to speak about education. Mid-Term holidays, as the upcoming ones are called, are now an established occurrence in all educationally developed countries. Indeed, places like the UK and Ireland, have a week's stoppage, not just two days. It might interest you to know, that the educational scope behind these mid-term holidays, is to break an otherwise long term. This has been proven to be beneficial to students.
ReplyDeleteIn the UK the summer holidays ended on the 3rd of September. Here in Malta the summer holidays ended on the 21st and in some schools even later. Someone who is very qualified in Education is Roger Murphy, a Professor of Education at the University of Nottingham, UK. In 2011 he told The Times that “When compared with a wide range of other education systems in developed countries, students in Malta are still receiving a very low number of hours of schooling.”
DeleteShush and go to sleep
DeleteI hope that you are not an educator Mr Anonymous. I would be very concerned if your attitude towards discussion is transmitted to our young students.
DeleteI suggest you ask Roger Murphy to come teach you in our classrooms between July and September, then you can tell us how you fared in the hot classroom. Dear Mr Vella the job of a teacher is non stop from 8 in the morning till 2 in the afternoon, no teacher has the time to play with his/her mobile or other photogarphic equipment whilst on duty.
DeletePappagallaġni tal-propoganda Laburista u tal-kampanji ta' assassinju tal-karattru li tant kapaċi jagħmlu. I rest my case.
DeleteAs a true "politician" - you confuse facts for your benefit. Roger Murphy refers to low number of hours not school days. Please research it, and you will come to conclusion that, when it comes to school days, Malta is about equal to the UK.
ReplyDeleteIt is a FACT that in the UK summer holidays came to an end on the 3rd of September. And yes, Professor Murphy is referring to school hours not days. I can read. So, what are you proposing to bridge this gap? Longer opening hours for schools and longer working hours for teachers?
DeleteNahseb din id-darba m'ghandekx ragun.Il-burnout tat-teachers qed isir izjed komuni. Kundizzjonijiet mill-hazin ghall-aghar u l-istress dejjem jikber. Il-Pink Floyd jghidu Leave them kids alone. Illum ahjar nghidu Halluhom jahdmu t-teachers ghax qridtuhom.
ReplyDeleteL-istress fuq il-post tax-xogħol mhux qed jiżdied għall-għalliema biss John. Il-punt tal-kitba tiegħi huwa propju biex tinstab soluzzjoni biex jonqos l-istress fost eluf ta' ħaddiema li huma wkoll ġenituri.
DeleteBiex issib soluzzjoni halli jonqos l-istress fost eluf ta' haddiema li huma wkoll genituri ma tohloqx sitwazzjoni aghar ghal sezzjoni ohra ta' haddiema. Fit-trejdunionizmu ma tnaqqasx dak li jkollok miksub biex mill-hazin tmur ghall-aghar. Tezisti haga; win-win situation u mhux biex tagevola li xi hadd tghakkes lil haddiehor
DeleteDr Vella has become an expert in everything
ReplyDeleteThis is just a short article in a blog. A blog is not intended to be an expert opinion.
DeleteNorman parents who work can take leave when they like. Unlike those employed in schools like teachers, Kindergarten assistants and LSA(s). So big deal if one has to take a couple of days off to (for a change) take care of their own kids. Besides Mid term holidays, which are a world wide practice (in the UK they have a week because their summer holidays are somewhat shorter than ours) serve both the teaching staff and the children to boost their energy levels.... Please be informed of the why of things before putting pen and paper together.
ReplyDeleteNobody can take leave from work when he/she likes. It is against the law. Legal Notice 247 of 2003 - Organisation of Working Time Regulations - says that leave has to be availed of in agreement with the employer. The application for leave has to be approved by the employer before an employee can proceed with his/her leave. This means that if leave is not approved by the employer, the employee cannot avail himself/herself from vacation leave.
DeleteNorman is this your personal opinion or that of your party. Please tell us so that we will know what your party is planing for when they are once more in office,
ReplyDeleteOnce a general election is called political parties are expected to publish their plans in a programme. In the meantime, thinking about and discussing different issues is a right and a duty of each and every citizen.
Deleteif you are not aware even the German students have a mid term 2 week holidays even though they start school first week of September and some of then in August, every school have different commencement times, all kids need a break together with the teachers and all educators, you need to come into the classroom to realise the dedication and the big energy teachers are inputting in their day at work having to cope with students with different conditions therefore no need to keep comparing an office situation than a classroom learning zone ....they are incomparible !
ReplyDeleteqed tinsew ukoll li x-xoghol tal-ghalliem kif ukoll tal-lsas ma jispiccax fis-saghtejn u nofs, Pero immorru d-dar u nipreparaw xoghol iehor bhal ieps, adaptations, rizorsi li jintuzaw fil-klassi.
ReplyDeleteFil-kitba tiegħi imkien ma naqqast l-impenn li titlob il-professjoni ta' għalliem. Il-punt tad-diskussjoni qatt ma kellu jkun u mhuwiex l-għalliema.
DeleteWhen you want we can change jobs Mr Vella!!!
ReplyDeleteYou don't need me to change your job. You can just do it whenever you want.
DeleteYou didn't understand dear...if you want you and i can change jobs....forsi tibda tifhem x jigifieri tkun ghalliem u ma tibqax taqbad man nies....jekk trid tbiddel xi haga messek tipproponi lill gvern biex jghaddi ligijiet fejn jaghti dritt li l genituri ikollhom dritt ghal leave fil vaganzi ta uliedhom.
DeleteAnki t-teachers ikollhom dawn il-problemi. Jien u r-ragel nahdmu fi skejjel tal-gvern u t-tifla tmur fi skola tal-Knisja. Dawn anke nhar l-Erbgha m'ghandhomx skola u l-problema taghna hija ghar minn ta' l-ohrajn ghax ahna ma ghandniex leave.
ReplyDeleteDear Norman...gieli smajt bi klabb 3-16. Servizz offrut mill-istat fl-iskejjel fejn il-genituri jistghu jhallu lit-tfal wara l-hin ta l-iskola jew bhal ghada u t-tlieta meta ma jkunx hemm skola. Waqt klabb 3-16 jsir programm edukattiv u rikrejattiv mmexxi minn edukaturi kkwalifikati. Illum hawn soluzzjoni ghal granet bhal ta ghada...li tahdem meta t-tfal huma vaganza mhux suppost li ghada problema. Grazzi
ReplyDeleteMr.Vella, skond l-artiklu li ktibt int nahseb ghandek aktar interess tqatta l-hin f'dan il-blogg milli tqatta l-hin ma tfal tieghek... Jekk ghandek.
ReplyDeleteKull ċittadin f'soċjeta' demokratika u żvilupatta għandu jkun inkoraġġit juża ftit ħin jaqra, jisma', jiddiskuti, jiżen, jesprimi ruħu. Nittama li fl-iskejjel it-tfal qed jiġu istruwiti dawn l-affarijiet bażiċi għax milli qed nara mill-kummenti ta' xi ftit, nirrepeti FTIT, għalliema, qed nieħu idea kemmxejn differenti.
DeleteDear Mr Vella don't waste your time discussing whether the mid-term holidays should or should not exist. That is not your call to decide. As regards to what you said, I must tell you that teachers are not babysitters to watch your children when you are out at work. Remember that teachers are parents too. Teachers cannot be expected that their work revolve around all other employees schedule. As you probably know it is a human right to have leave, sick leave..etc and these holidays are the only 'leave' teachers can enjoy. So please do us a favour and shut up. There are other child care friendly measures to adopt should you wish to use one of them. Idardarx l-ghajn li trid tixrob minnha sur vella, ftakar kullhadd ghandu bzonn ghalliem!
ReplyDeleteDid you read the article before commenting? I quote "ħbieb tiegħi għalliema dejjem jgħiduli li xogħolhom mhuwiex li jieħdu ħsieb it-tfal biex il-ġenituri jkunu jistgħu imorru għax-xogħol. Għandhom raġun. Xogħolhom hu li jgħallmu"
DeleteIt-theddid fi kliemek u l-atitudni tiegħek lejn id-diskussjoni tagħmel diżunur kbir lill-għalliema. Nittama li fil-klassi ma ġġibx ruħek bl-istess mod mat-tfal.
DeleteMid-term Holidays: to be or not to be?
ReplyDeleteFollowing Mr. Norman Vella’s blog of Friday, 31st October titled “Nhar it-Tnejn mgħandiex tkun vaganza”, the Malta Learning Support Association (MLSA) feels the need to express its opinion on the subject and to put forward reasons why the mid-term holidays should remain on the scholastic calendar. MLSA represents Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) in Malta and Gozo and its members form part of the education staff who benefit from such holidays.
Mr. Vella has clearly stated that the mid-term holidays should be eliminated from the scholastic calendar because these holidays are causing a burden on parents who work. MLSA thinks that when one expresses an opinion, this should be put forward bearing in mind a three hundred sixty degrees perspective. Mr. Vella talked in favour of the parents who work. However, it is worth pointing out that schools are full of parents who work and through the diction used in the blog, with reference to the subject in caption, Mr. Vella has completely eliminated parents who work in the Education sector such as LSAs, teachers or School Management Team (SMT).
It is worth highlighting that nowadays, more than in previous years, schools are catering for a number of things and not solely teaching, as Mr. Vella’s teacher friends have pointed out. Apart from the pedagogical aspect of teaching, teachers and LSAs have to do pastoral care duties with children who do not have any particular condition but are in the midst of deep social problems, are emotionally unstable and who may exhibit challenging behaviour as a result. These factors cause a lot of extra work and stress to teachers, LSAs as well as to school management teams (SMT), even though most of the mentioned staff members do their job with heartfelt confidence and dedication. The mentioned factors amalgamated with other duties which were always present in the education profession are an essential reason why mid-term holidays should remain.
Further to the above, parents who work in the private sector can make a request for leave when they require and when there is a stop leave situation, they are advised beforehand. In contrast, LSAs, teachers and SMTs have to avail themselves from only twenty seven and a half hours of special leave when they are presented with an emergency, have to attend for hospital appointments or other commitments during the scholastic period. Once this entitlement is made use of, parents who work in a school have to apply for unpaid leave. This may be of major detriment especially to those who only have one breadwinner in the family.
While respecting Mr. Vella’s opinion, MLSA fails to understand the actual reason behind the request for removing the mid-term holidays expressed with such urgency. MLSA feels that there are other crucial issues present in the Maltese society and the mid-term holidays are not a major concern for the Maltese Islands. Other European countries have these holidays on the scholastic calendar so why should Malta remove them? Holidays provide an opportunity for spending time with the family and relaxing and therefore should remain and be considered an investment in education staff, who will go back to work with a healthier body and mind. In return, this will have a positive ripple effect on the education of Maltese children and adolescents.
Thank you for your contribution to this debate.
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