The challenge for sports schools in Malta

Abstract

The Challenge for Sports Schools in Malta is an overview of the need for diverse schools, Malta. A need which is felt because not all students are of the same ability, have the so.me aptitudes. Some can be talented in areas which are not academic. Our local education system gives too much importance to academic qualifications. This work aims to unfold the dire need for specialist schools, a need which will not only help students with varied potentials, but will also help to improve schools. In England and in other countries it has been observed that specialist .schools have also helped to raise standards of education in schools. Our schools need this too. In order to evaluate how specialist schools are set-up and run, a visit to Burleigh Community Sports College in Loughborough, Leicestershire was organised, together with meetings with members of the Youth Sports Trust (YST), key partners in the Sports College initiative in England. A comparison is also made between four different systems of Sports Schools in Europe, namely, England, Belgium, Austria and Hungary. A historical background on the Sports School project in :Malta is given which dates back to 1995, when the Minister for Education of the time, first started steering this issue. Finally, after gathering all the above information, in-depth proposals are given as to how a Sports School could be started in Malta. Two options are presented.