Grave humanitarian cases in Maltese church secondary schools : a case study

Abstract

The aim of this thesis was that of analyzing and evaluating the issue of inclusion in a Maltese church boys' secondary school. Church boys' Secondary Schools in Malta present a unique outlook on inclusion in the sense that a number of students are accepted yearly not on the basis of the entrance exams, but because they fulfil a set of criteria to be accepted under the Grave Humanitarian Case Scheme. These students are then able to follow an educational programme suited to their abilities and needs. The research carried out was qualitative in the sense that it was based on data acquired from one particular source which will be used as a case study. The reason behind choosing this school was because it's a secondary school which, for the past seven years, has been carrying out an extensive programme in inclusion, and thus offers ample scope for analysis in this particular sector. This thesis aimed to investigate, through a case study approach, the issue of inclusion within one such school and as a result tried to establish the success and shortcomings of this policy of inclusive education in the last seven years.