The Working Classes

Do schools have the definitive burden of preparing citizens for the world of work? As the most stable entity in an increasing precarious society, the answer is yes.

You spend one third of your life asleep, and at least one quarter of your life at school. Whether you're asleep at school is another question. But your school years are undeniably the greatest influence on your formation as a thinking, creative participant in social life.

Somehow, the acid rain-filled cloud of Competition has formed over the country this past decade, filling parents with dread. They have become obsessed with their children achieving full marks in exams, starting from Grade One, or even Kindergarten. No - truth be known - it starts from the 'quccija' held on their first birthday.

Undeniably, school is taking over as the one stable entity in our world. With governments changing policies every few years, and separations on the increase, the child sees school as a permanent fixture. Not necessarily a pleasant one. But we are obliged to attend school, and schools are obliged to provide the means whereby we fulfil our potential as responsible citizens.

Parents are already determined that school years are targeted towards good results which will then be displayed on CVs, or used as entry tickets into higher education.

What about the practical skills that are needed on the workplace? It's almost a clich that over-confident university graduates fall flat on their faces when faced with the nitty-gritty of actually holding down a job.

We Don't Need no Education

In the workplace, there is a clear distinction between leaders and followers, no matter whether we are talking about professions or trades. In most jobs, apart from expecting employees to possess honesty and basic common sense, the skills of filing, answering a phone, taking messages, letter writing, using a computer are basic stuff. The lowest common denominators of any workplace skills are punctuality, honesty, neatness, politeness, and respect. There is no reason why these attitudes and behaviours cannot be focused upon from an early age in schools, with assessments carried out alongside the usual school report.

Characteristics such as assertiveness, good manners, pride in quality, teamwork, creativity, problem solving are also essential. Using intelligence, taking decisions, financial planning, team building, understanding people, seeing opportunities and forecasting trends are skills required by the upper echelons. As such, none of these skills are directly taught at school. It is a shame that students are not encouraged or allowed to become independent, critical and creative thinkers. Is it because they might question the institution of school itself?

The development of authentic textbooks and exercise material related to our local situation should be encouraged. An example of this would be Income Tax and National Insurance computation during maths lessons, or writing a memorandum during English. Religion lessons could deal with the moral issues of theft, back-stabbing, office affairs. How about mock interviews, learning how to write a CV, set up a filing system, and draft a budget for pocket money and public speaking?

Let us not forget that teachers who have never had other work experience apart from being in a classroom setting will not necessarily be aware of skills and attitudes needed in office environments. This is one instance where the school's administration staff could have a valid input.

Career Choices

Our parents feed us with career choices along with our daily cereal and juice. We are brainwashed into narrowing our choices to a trade, profession or possibly joining the Church, and very few are those families who foster a mentality that the child can be whatever she wants to be, no matter how humble or how high the goal. It is wrong that children do not have their eyes raised to the highest heights that they can reach. Instead, they are led to stumbling towards whatever is being offered. Shouldn't the school step in here?

No matter what the National Minimum Curriculum states, education in Malta is based around the learning of academic subjects. Other subjects such as sport, art, craft, personal development and thinking skills are often secondary. The emphasis is on acquiring knowledge instead of acquiring skills.

Yet even when we consider the acquisition of knowledge, very little of any practical use sinks in. We've all done maths. How many of us know how to calculate a ratio, percentage or area of a square? Let's not even mention calculating compound interest - that's something that the banks will teach you!

The play has been taken out of school, and replaced by the burden of studying. It's not even 'learning' that we care about, it's 'studying' along with hefty doses of threats and bribery, so that qualifications can be gained. Thereafter, the belief is that the children can have a choice of career, and make big bucks. Maybe even hold a position of power.

School is the middle-class smorgasbord to getting a good job. Which choice titbits will we be regurgitating en route to university entry?

Nor can we presume that the child has made the correct subject choices, those that will automatically be used in his or her career. What about the majority of children who simply do not know what they want to do 'when they grow up'? How can they make the right subject choices? What is the role of school in that case - simply to help them obtain as many O levels as possible and then be left to muddle their way through life? The emphasis should be on character building, and ongoing self-awareness, so that by the time students are 16, they have at the very least, a knowledge of themselves on which they can base their future. Just as retirement should be thought about from an early age, so should your career. Looking back 25 years or so, career guidance did not exist. Today things are looking up, with counsellors present in all schools

"S" is for Stress

If there is one skill that is completely relevant to both our school and working years, it is stress management. The excessive pressure brought about by examinations has led to children aged 10 and 11 being reduced to nervous wrecks. Can't schools alleviate the pressure, as well as teach the stress-reducing benefit of sport, art, dance, correct nutrition and talking about their problems?

Stress is also created when the race to finish a syllabus leaves slower students struggling to catch up. What happens when a child falls behind? Nothing. The student is doomed to remain at that level and opt for private lessons until such time as she can sit for the exam. The school does not feel responsible for helping slower students catch up with the frenzied pace of the syllabus. Our exam-based system does not allow for individual learning. What parents are not aware of is that the legal basis of the National Minimum Curriculum enables the public to contest the system through the courts.

A Continuum

Success in life is not dependent on education. There are numerous self-made millionaires who have no university degrees but got where they are today by sheer hard work. But even they would have appreciated a little moral support, guidance and signposting. School is undoubtedly the main player in preparing us for our working lives. Happiness at work equates to happiness in life, to a great degree. Getting it right is paramount for our health and sanity.

The World of Work

The National Minimum Curriculum emphasises the education system's role in preparing students for the world of work.

'Education must respond to the world of work in the same way that it responds to the requirements of democratic citizenship. In the context of a global economy, our country faces the difficult task of competing in a market that is characterised by uncertainty. Our economic future depends in a large extent on the degree of investment in our children. An education that prepares students for a global economy should:

- Be based on a model that promotes a variety of ideas rather than conformity

- Be closely connected to the real world of work

- Enable students to develop their skills and to transfer them to new job contexts whenever necessary

- Prepare students to solve problems by drawing on their intellectual abilities

- Prepare students to be flexible and creative

- Enable students to gain a better understanding of the global economy

- Prepare students to recognise the need for new learning whenever personal and economic circumstances change, and

- Help students to become aware of their rights and responsibilities.

'For all this to occur, it is important that the school and the world of work draw closer together. The educational system should equip all individuals with a balanced mix of wisdom, knowledge, skills and attitudes in order for them to operate effectively in today's and particularly, tomorrow's world of work. It can do so by providing hands-on experience so that students can gain some early knowledge of the work environment, the world of business, the world of co-operatives and the management of firms. Among qualities that should constantly be developed in our students are those of management and leadership, teamwork, time management, communication and so on. Experiences being gained through such schemes as Young Enterprise, Scoops, and the President's Award and through voluntary organisations should be encouraged and should complement work in the classroom.

'For these goals to be attained, agencies connected with the world of work should recognise their duty to be actively engaged in and should invest in the educational system.

'Excerpt taken from 'Creating the Future Together': National Minimum Curriculum, Ministry of Education, Malta