ADULT EDUCATION IN MALTA

Peter MayoUniversity of Malta

HISTORICAL VIEW

For several years, adult education was associated with:

adult literacy and vocational training for emigration

church’s larger social networkContinuing professional

development

CONTEMPORARY PROVISIONAdult LiteracySocial purpose adult educationEducation of the elderlyWorkers’ educationVocational adult educationEducation in prisonsAdult Education and ITTEFLACommunity educationParent Education

MAIN AGENCIES (tentative)

The Church State Institutions and state funded

agencies Commercial Entities Trade Unions Political parties

Broadcasting stations NGOs University

CHURCH

Adult literacyBiblical readingCatechesisFamily educationProgrammes for specific target groupsSpecialised religious courses for lay

persons (eg. Patristic studies, University diploma/degree courses)

Community education (eg. Paulo Freire Inst.)

STATE INSTITUTIONS

Education Division, Ministry of Education (formerly Education Department) through its Dept. of Further Studies and Adult Education

Foundation for Educational ServicesMINISTRY FOR SOCIAL POLICY responsible for the Employment &

Training Corporation

COMMERCIAL ENTITIES

HRD ICT T.E.F.L.A. COURSES FOR DEGREES /

DIPLOMAS AWARDED BY FOREIGN BODIES

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

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.

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)

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.

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 University’s 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

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.

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).

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.

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.

AE IN MALTA

THE END

Thank you