Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/33980
Title: Why education ‘counts’ : educational trajectories and personal histories
Other Titles: Yesterday's schools : readings in Maltese educational history
Authors: Cutajar, JosAnn
Keywords: Education -- Malta -- History
Education -- Malta -- Case studies
Issue Date: 2017
Publisher: Xirocco Publishing
Citation: Cutajar, J. (2017). Why education ‘counts’ : educational trajectories and personal histories. In R. G. Sultana (Eds.), Yesterday's schools : readings in Maltese educational history (pp. 255-272). Malta: Xirocco Publishing.
Abstract: Salvina: “When I was young, I went to the elementary school in Victoria. I stayed until Standard Five. I left school and started learning how to sew. This was usual in my days. I’m speaking about fifty years ago now. There were four of us in my family—my two sisters, a brother and I. My father worked as a civil servant and my mother was a housewife. My sisters and brother continued their education. One became a clerk and the other two became teachers. I was the oldest and you know what used to happen dari (in the past). Somebody had to be sacrificed to help at home. …When I left school I learned how to sew at the Sorijiet ta’ l-Istilla (Franciscan Order). I continued sewing even when I got married and had children. In fact, my sewing skills helped me pay for my children’s education. I have two children. My eldest went on to Sixth Form and sat for her Advanced levels because she wanted to go to College and become a teacher. Agatha Barbara was Minister of Education in those days. U l-iskola sehtitha (She really threw the education system backwards). Minn dakinhar ilha sejra lura l-edukazzjoni (The education system started deteriorating from that period). My eldest daughter managed to pass her A-levels and go to university. She had to take a B.A. (Hons.) course to become a teacher since the Training College was closed. Imma kollox ajma dahri dakinhar (I had to work hard to help her make it through). I paid for the flat she rented in Malta, the books. In addition, you had to keep up appearances if you went to university in those days. Therefore, I had to invest in some good clothes for her. I had to fork out the money because they only received a stipend of LM30 every three months. This money used to help her pay her rent. When she was at university, there were only three other Gozitan girls studying with her. They used to leave Gozo on Monday and come home Friday evening. Minn jaf kemm kont immur jien nahslilhom (I used to cross over to Malta to clean the flat). They did not have time to clean themselves because they were studying. My son’s experience was totally different. My daughter is almost fifteen years older than her brother is. U dak xortieh donnu ghenitu (Luck was on his side). He wasn’t that bright, not like his sister, but he always managed to pull through. He went to university. The Labour Party was in power in those days. He benefited from the student worker scheme because his sponsor guaranteed him a job once he left university. Not like his poor sister who could not find a job for months after she left school.”
URI: https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar//handle/123456789/33980
ISBN: 9789995711788
Appears in Collections:Yesterday's schools : readings in Maltese educational history

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