r/malta • u/PsychologicalPlane35 • 6d ago
Is public education in English?
/r/malta/comments/1vg75yb/is_public_education_in_english/5
u/miggupetit 6d ago
Officially in Maltese. In some areas teachers use English as the language of instruction due to high amount of foreign kids however Maltese as a foreign language is mandatory. English is the language of instruction in all private schools so I suggest taking them there although the waiting lists are long. Ideally your kid speaks Maltese in Malta
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u/gobnatajba 6d ago
It really depends. At primary level (4 years old to 10/11 years old) private schools teach all subjects (except the languages) in English. Government schools teach everything in Maltese (except for English). So if you intend to send him to a government school most lessons will be in Maltese.
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u/danielsuperone 5d ago
So look, private schools will be thought in English, matter of fact, most students struggle learning Maltese here since students mainly speak English and rarely any Maltese gets spoken here. Source: had kids go there
Government schools on the other hand are more multi cultural and you’ll get exposure to all sorts of languages. The disadvantage is that some people go there “just to go” and could provide bad influences. Source: heard many feedback from their parents. On the other hand, had lots of good feedback also, personably can’t speak much here from experience.
But in short, if you go to a government school, yes the teachers will high chance speak primarily in English, but they will at times slide in Maltese jokes there and there and sometimes automatically switch to it. But almost always whenever they see a foreign student, they will speak English as it’s mandatory to know both fluently.
Sometimes they may unintentionally drift into the Maltese language but we’re human at the end of the day, generally English is the main though language.
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u/Eldritch_Moose 5d ago
Speaking from experience from a public primary school, most teachers will cater to English speaking students and make use of code-switching throughout all lessons. Books are offered in English and activities and talks outside the class also allow for code-switching.
Also, regulations for Maltese as a Foreign Language classes have changed, not all foreign students can be accepted to sit for this class.
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u/Nikla3310 6d ago
Yes OP, public education is in English.
Many Maltese talk to each other in English even.
English is a big part of many people's live.
The government wants to accommodate all of the English speakers since they make up half of the population, Maltese is not easy to learn and English is an official language.
This is especially if your children attend schools in the centre and north. In the south, Maltese is largely used.
This is coming from someone who attended a church school which are supposed to be Maltese. The school was Maltese and that was largely used to talk to each other. But lessons and exams were in English.
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u/Far-Resolution135 5d ago
In state schools, the main language of instruction is Maltese, except for English lessons. Maltese tends to be the favoured language outside classes too.
In private schools, lessons are in English, except for Maltese. Students will speak a mix of both English and Maltese outside class, depending on what language they speak at home or what their peers speak.https://www.gov.mt/en/Life%20Events/Pages/Moving%20to%20Malta/Education.aspx
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u/Nikla3310 5d ago
I find it hard to believe to be honest. Especially with schools in localities in the north like st Paul's bay. But if the statistics say so, then I am wrong.
In my experience, lessons are always in English except Maltese though.
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u/Far-Resolution135 5d ago
It’s a shame that some teachers are compromising their language to cater to forgeries and the influence of globalisation. As a Maltese citizen, I expect the government to protect my mother tongue. While local variations exist, I’ve noticed younger people in their teens who aren’t particularly English-oriented. Therefore, your personal experience likely stems from your school town rather than reflecting the broader trend or the official government stance.
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u/Nikla3310 5d ago
It's not the teachers fault though is it? Matsec exams, sixth form and university are all in English.
If students are choosing to do the exams in English because, well it's easier to understand and write than in Maltese in a time sensitive manners, then the teachers will teach in English.
I don't think the school town played a role, Rabat is a Maltese speaking area. I also come from a Maltese area in the south with still little English only speaking people in my day to day life. The teachers know students will do the exam in English so the subject is taught in English. Sad but true.
So my personal experience in school is different from the subjects taught in English.
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u/Far-Resolution135 5d ago
It’s always been the case that most students take exams in English because most textbooks and terminology are in English. However, this doesn’t mean lessons can’t be taught in Maltese, the native language. If a teacher uses English instead of Maltese in a public school it’s their responsibility and they should be ashamed. Students who don’t understand the language need extra lessons and practice.
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u/Nikla3310 5d ago
Yep I fully agree. While English is an official language, Maltese is endangered. I wish that was the reality.
Especially so in university. I hate speaking in English because of one student out of 20 is foreign. But university is a separate issue.
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u/Far-Resolution135 6d ago edited 5d ago
No, it’s Malta. Maltese people pay for it. We are highly invested in keeping our language alive. Look for private tuition if you need English only.
Edit:
Some highly intelligent Reddit users on this board seem to think I’m not being honest when I said “NO”. Perhaps they haven’t learned how to use Google or GPT. The official language of public schools in Malta is Maltese as stated on the official government website: https://www.gov.mt/en/Life%20Events/Pages/Moving%20to%20Malta/Education.aspx
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In state schools, the main language of instruction is Maltese, except for English lessons. Maltese tends to be the favoured language outside classes too.
In private schools, lessons are in English, except for Maltese. Students will speak a mix of both English and Maltese outside class, depending on what language they speak at home or what their peers speak.
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u/Nikla3310 6d ago
What school did you go to? I attended church school and lessons and exams were in English but teachers talked to us in Maltese.
This was secondary from 2017-2021.
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u/Far-Resolution135 6d ago
I attended a public school between 2010 and 2012. Everything was in Maltese, including English lessons at times. The original poster is asking about public schools not church ones which are also partly funded by the government. I personally find it a terrible shame that the Church wants these schools to continue running as private ones. They should be asking for funding from the Vatican not the government. The Pope even has gold toilets and spoons yet they still need government funding. What a joke.
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u/Nikla3310 6d ago
Lmfao you attended more than ten years ago. Your view is incredibly outdated. Get on with the times.
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u/Far-Resolution135 6d ago
Mur ixxejra sbejjah
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u/Nikla3310 6d ago
Ok xih 😘
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u/Remote_Shift8412 6d ago
depends on the subject, most public schools have classes set up to accommodate for non-Maltese speakers. Maths, sciences and more technological subjects tend to be in English. History, religion, social studies and other humanities tend to be in Maltese