Teachers' attitudes towards trade schools in Malta

Abstract

This ethnographic study sets out to document teachers' attitudes towards Trade schools in Malta. It compares and contrasts attitudes held by Trade school and Junior lyceum teaching staffs. Observations and Interviews were carried out in two Junior lyceums and in two Trade schools in the 1991 1992 scholastic year. The Grounded Theory Methodology was used. This analysis shows that the teaching staff of both Trade schools and Junior lyceums, consider Trade schools to be of an inferior quality and the pupils attending there are perceived as the dropouts of the educational system. Relationship problems exist between the qualified teachers and the technical/ trade instructors, yet both groups feel frustrated since their points of views are ignored, while they believe they are considered inferior when compared to other educators in the same way as Trade schools are labelled low status schools.