Immigration and education

Immigration and education was the theme of a two-day national conference that was organised by the University of Malta’s pro-rector for Student and Staff Affairs & Outreach, the Faculty of Social Wellbeing, the Faculty of Education and the Ministry for Education and Employment. The conference brought together stakeholders to identify the challenges and make policy proposals. In her opening speech pro-rector Dr Carmen Sammut said that the conference aimed to ignite a debate that leads to a holistic policy within the framework of Malta’s Integration Strategy.

On the first day, the conference focused on primary and secondary education. Participants explored the rapid changes in schools, which are becoming more diverse. Educators reported as many as 38 different nationalities in some localities, where diversity can become an educational tool but new learning methods and greater school autonomy were deemed important to allow for flexibility. In some areas immigrant children (European and third country nationals) made up between 50 and 70% of the school population.

In his speech the Minister for Education and Employment Evarist Bartolo discussed the notion of education as a Universal Human Right. Prof. Eileen Ariza, a Fulbright Scholar, currently engaged at the University of Malta, and the dean of the Faculty of Education, Prof. Sandro Caruana, both gave keynote speeches that looked at the important role of language as the key to integration and the challenges faced by schools in this regard. The dean of the Faculty of Social Wellbeing Prof. Andrew Azzopardi referred to the role of the University in identifying and addressing challenges faced by an everchanging society. Workshops focused on policy proposals that discussed language diversity, mainstreaming diversity within the curriculum, issues related to gender and religion and accessing the educational system.

Accessing educational institutions was discussed in greater detail on the second day of the conference, where rector Prof. Alfred Vella explained how mechanisms that were recently introduced at the University, that include Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and the International Foundation School, open the way for refugees and asylum seekers to apply for university courses.

Equality Minister Dr Helena Dalli recommended the creation of one-stop-shops aimed at addressing the concerns and requirements of immigrants in the context of their formal education. Saleh Ahmed, who graduated from the International Foundation School and went on to obtain a BA Honours and a Master’s in International Relations, gave a poignant rendition of the challenges that he faced during his studies and beyond.

During the conference, the University announced the setting up of a Committee for Race and Ethnic Affairs that aims to create awareness on the importance of inclusion and integration, to facilitate access and to safeguard the rights of students from racial or ethnic minorities.

The conference also brought together representatives from MCAST, the Institute for Tourism Studies and Junior College. The president of KSU Robert Napier and representatives of the NGO Spark 15 Nagm Arbab and Abdo Sola provided students’ perspectives.

The conference was concluded by The President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, who in her speech underlined that integration is vital for social cohesion. She stressed that we must aim towards inclusivity, rather than assimilation, of various cultures.

Prof. Alfred Vella