Education and national development

Abstract

The role of education in national development has become so accepted that few people stop to analyse how education does make its contribution. In this short paper I hope to trace the various factors which lead to national development and indicate the role education can play. I shall do so with special reference to Malta. The first aspect of national development which I would like to deal with is national identity. In a country like Malta, which for hundreds of years was under foreign rule, ,and where independence has been gained only recently, national development means that its citizens must seek and strengthen their national identity. Extreme nationalism has led to enough rivalry and wars between different countries, and should not be encouraged. However a country does not become a nation if its people are not proud of their identity, of their language and culture and of those things which make' them different from citizens of other countries. If we are to ensure national development we must care for our national heritage - we must care for our countryside, our trees, our birds, our bastions, our buildings.