Event report

The first session was addressed by the Minister for Education, Dr Justyne Caruana and the Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Carmelo Abela, followed by a panel discussion on Improving Quality, Equity, Inclusion and Success for All. Minister Carmelo Abela, responsible for SEM, emphasised that education and training are crucial for citizen development, and therefore they are to have the opportunity to not only discuss but also to shape the future of education. He explained that SEM’s role is crucial as an agency that involves citizens, organisations and other stakeholders in local and European-level decision making in sectors such as education. Minister Abela encouraged that the conclusions from these seminars are placed together with the proposals for the Conference on the Future of Europe, from which the Europe of tomorrow is being shaped. He concluded saying that skills gaps present today need to be defined and closed, while ensuring the maximisation of the knowledge potential of our population which in turn pushes forward our inherent output potential. Minister Justyne Caruana said that the Government’s vision is to ensure education excellence. The Ministry for Education is working towards an equitable and modernised education system able to maximise the opportunities afforded by the digital economy and the green transition. Minister Caruana said that she is confident of the work done towards a high-quality education for the students.   The panel members were: Josanne Ghirxi - Director, National School Support Services, Ministry for Education; Dermot Galea - Chief Executive Officer, Foundation for Educational Services; David Muscat - Chief Executive Officer, National Literacy Agency; Jacqueline VanHear - Director, Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education, Ministry for Education.