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Karl Schembri
A whole generation of young people risks remaining totally oblivious of our country’s recent past as only 200 secondary school students are currently studying Malta’s nineteenth century history.
Considered to be the period of Malta’s national awakening, the nineteenth century has only now started to make it into the classrooms thanks to a new book by leading historian Henry Frendo, but only 200 students scattered across forms 3, 4 and 5 are studying it.
“It’s a shameful situation,” the author Storja ta’ Malta Volume 3 says. “This book is tailor-made for students and yet the only ones to read about our nineteenth century history are only those who choose History as their study option, and they’re just about 200 students. It’s even sadder when you consider this is the first history book dealing with the nineteenth century written from a Maltese perspective.”
An official at the education division confirmed the low number of students taking history, adding that only those who choose to study the subject for O level examinations use the book in schools.
“School children are being asked to choose their subjects too early, with the consequence that they are missing out on history, particularly the modern period,” the division official said.
Even worse, recent history remains taboo for several history teachers who still believe the political controversies of the nineteenth and twentieth century to be too close to home to be covered in the classroom.
“Some teachers are afraid to teach nineteenth century history because they say it is too close,” said Prof. Frendo, who is at present writing the next volume about the twentieth century history of Malta documenting much a more controversial period of our past. “The consequence is that we’re part of the EU and our children do not even have a sense of nationhood.”
After the insurrection against the French, the nineteenth century saw the first newspaper publications in 1848 with the newly granted freedom of the press. In 1887, the British Empire granted a Constitution that provided for an elected majority on the Council of Government.
Edwin Catania, a manager at Klabb Kotba Maltin – publishers of Storja ta’ Malta – said the response was very disappointing despite the glaring lack of history books documenting the last two centuries.
“We will still go ahead with the fourth volume about the twentieth century, it’s a commitment that we intend to keep,” he said. “It would be a grave mistake if someone tries to erase or revise our history. Children should be studying this from their primary. It’s a question of priorities at the end of the day.”
kschembri@mediatoday.com.mt
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