A review of arts education up to school-leaving age : research project report

Abstract

The value of the arts and creativity in education is often promoted in national policies and curricular frameworks in Malta. Arts education and creativity are considered to be important not only for students who aim to specialise in the arts later in life but form an essential part of an inclusive curriculum that can guarantee the educational entitlement of each child. In parallel, arts teachers are entitled to the provision of appropriate resources, learning spaces and professional development opportunities that support them in their work with students. This report documents research in Malta and Gozo commissioned by the Arts Council Malta to the Malta University Consulting. Carried out during the scholastic year 2021-2022, this nationwide study researched the state of arts education, principally in the compulsory sector, and sought to understand whether official values and objectives attributed to arts education in policy documents and curricula are fulfilled in actual practices, provisions and educational infrastructure in the country. The study involved reviewing relevant literature and comparing it to data collected from students, educators, heads, and education officers through various qualitative and quantitative tools. [excerpt from the Executive summary]