Maltese Education Ministry Fellowships Awarded to Educational Disadvantage Centre, Institute of Education
The Maltese Education Ministry has awarded 9 Masters Fellowships to the Educational Disadvantage Centre, DCU Institute of Education after an international competitive tender process.
The Fellowship awardees are teaching in Maltese schools and will additionally engage in an advisory role to the Maltese Education Ministry in the area of early school leaving, together with Dr. Paul Downes, Director of the Educational Disadvantage Centre. The 9 students have now commenced their online M.Ed (Special Option, Poverty and Social Inclusion) in the Institute of Education.
Ms. Pamela Spiteri, The Maltese Ministry for Education said:
"After a rigorous process, we are pleased to award these prestigious Maltese Education Ministry Fellowships to a leading group of nine educators who are embarking on a Masters in Education (Special Option, Poverty and Social Inclusion), in conjunction with the Educational Disadvantage Centre, Institute of Education, Dublin City University. This is a key part of our strategic commitment to the issue of early school leaving prevention in Malta, against the background of an EU Policy context prioritising this issue in education and through ESF funding".
Professor Anne Looney, Dean of the Institute of Education said:
“The Institute of Education at Dublin City University is pleased to welcome the students awarded these prestigious fellowships to the Masters in Education programme with the special option in poverty and social inclusion. The students from Malta will join a group of education leaders from Irish schools and educational settings who are focused on the transformative role of education in lives and communities. Supported by our Centre for Educational Disadvantage this unique programme is increasingly recognised across Ireland and Europe for its innovative design and focus on practice and transformation. It also draws on the experience of the participants; we look forward to learning from and with our Maltese students in that context.”
Dr. Paul Downes, Director, Educational Disadvantage Centre, Associate Professor of Psychology of Education, DCU Institute of Education states:
“Many congratulations to the Maltese Education Ministry Fellowship Awardees selected from a highly competitive field of applicants. These M.Ed (Poverty and Social Inclusion, Special Option) Fellowships offer a real platform for this group to become national leaders in developing future national policy for early school leaving prevention in Malta. We warmly welcome these 9 Maltese Fellowship students as they join a learning community in our Educational Disadvantage Centre that also includes our 11 NEIC (North East Inner City) Fellowship M.Ed (Poverty and Social Inclusion, Special Option) Awardees as future leaders and advocates in this area. Against the background of EU Council and Commission key ET2030 targets for reducing early school leaving and increasing completion of secondary school, it is hoped that we can learn from the teaching experiences, on the ground, of these new Maltese Ministry Fellowship recipients, to inform research to contribute to the longstanding and ongoing European Union prioritisation of this vital issue.”
The successful Maltese Education Ministry Fellowship awardees are as follows:
- Caroline Battistino, San Gorg Preca College, Marsa Primary School
- Sharon Bonello, Paola Primary San Gorg Preca College
- Tai Busuttil, Qawra Primary School, Maria Regina College, Triq il-Port Ruman, St. Paul’s Bay, Malta
- Lorna Camilleri, Rabat Primary School, Gozo College, Victoria, Gozo
- Sarah Cushieri, Floriana Primary School, San Ġorg Preca College, Floriana, Malta
- Bonnie Lepre, St.Margaret's College, Xghajra Primary School
- Jonathan Mifsud, STC Birkirkara Primary School, St Theresa College, Birkirkara, Malta
- EliClaire Mikkelsen, Lily of the Valley, Mosta Secondary.
- Darlene Schembri, St Margaret College Cospicua Middle School, Verdala