Every society must ask itself a simple but fundamental question: what kind of education do we want for our children?

Education has never been just about exams and certificates. At its heart, it is about helping us grow into better versions of ourselves and about learning how to live together. Yet today, even in Malta, our education system is too often treated as a “factory” designed to produce the workers of tomorrow. Economic and commercial priorities take centre stage, while human attitudes—empathy, respect, creativity, and communication—are pushed at the back burner.

As a teacher and activist, I have spent the summer reflecting on this reality. I listened to students and colleagues, looked into what is happening abroad, and examined our own Maltese education system. The result is a document I prepared entitled “Humanising the Maltese Education System: A Manifesto of Hope.” It lays out 100 proposals built around three pillars: a vision for a more human education, the role of the educator, and the role of the student. The aim is simple: to put people back at the centre of education.

It is important to understand that education is not something fixed or neutral. It is a living system that must be nurtured, updated, and adapted to the needs of today. When systems remain rigid, when policies grow stale, both students and teachers risk being sidelined—or worse, forgotten altogether. This is why we can never afford to stop listening, never fear change, and never treat progress in education as something that “can wait.”

Unfortunately, too often in Malta policies and rules are drafted in the name of students and educators without ever consulting them. One example illustrates this well. Earlier this year, the Ombudsman found that a government circular (DG DES 28/2024) prevents teachers from expressing their opinions in public or offering constructive criticism of educational policies, for instance. He warned that the measure has created a “chilling effect” on educators. In a European democracy, this is deeply troubling. It silences the very people who give life to our schools and sends a message that the profession is not truly valued.

I raised this issue directly with the Education Minister, Dr. Clifton Grima. He assured me that under his leadership no one will be denied the right to speak. While such a commitment is welcomed, the reality is that the circular remains in place and has not been withdrawn—despite pressure from the University of Malta’s Faculty of Education and other organisations. The contradiction speaks for itself.

If we truly care about our students and the future of our country, measures like this cannot remain. Instead of restricting voices, we should be learning from countries where education is flourishing and listening more to our own students and professionals. That is why my manifesto insists on an education system centred on people. Any policy or decision that does not place students and educators at its core does not belong in a modern and democratic system.

As educators, we cannot remain apathetic or fearful, grumbling only in staff rooms. We must speak out—not just in classrooms, but also in public debates, in policy discussions, and on every available platform. We owe it to ourselves as professionals, but even more importantly, we owe it to our students, who are entrusted to our care and deserve nothing less than our full commitment.