How Heads experienced the process of trade school reforms

Abstract

In the political programme presented by the Malta Labour Party for the 1971 elections it was stated that: "lsiru bis-serjeta` klassijiet għat-tfal minn 13-il sena 'I fuq fejn is-snajja' u l-bżonnijiet l-oħra ta' l-industrija u t-turiżmu jingħataw l-importanza Ii jistħoqqilhom. Mat-tlettax -il sena t-tfal ikollhom l- opportunita` Ii jagħżlu jew linja kummerċjali jew tas-snajja' jew linja Ii twassalhom għad-‘degrees’ akkademiċi." (pg 8). Consequently, after winning the elections the Labour Government started to implement what it had stated in its political manifesto. The most important of this programme was the implementation of the Trade School System. These reforms were mentioned for the first-time during debates on the Budget by the former Minister of Education Ms Agatha Barbara in Parliament on the 23rd of May 1972. […] I have seen Trade Schools set up in 1972 and have given my modest contribution to their development and evolution. This has stimulated me to choose "The Trade School Reforms" as the topic for my essay. Since I know that that Heads of Trade Schools have passed through the same process like myself, I have stressed how Heads experienced these reforms. The first part of this essay will cover the history of Trade Schools and describe the changes that were implemented from time to time including the latest Reforms, which were put into practice in September 1995. In the second part of the essay I will try to analyse the involvement that Heads of Trade Schools might have had and their option on these reforms. In order to be able to form an opinion I have spoken to the Heads who have kindly and willingly accepted to answer a set of questions on the topic. Transcripts of these recorded interviews is found in the Appendix, as given in Maltese. I had also consulted a number of Education Officers who some time or other participated in the process of these reforms to determine exactly what was their involvement in the process.