Maltese in Australia's education system -- Il-Malti fis-sistema edukattiva Awstraljana

 

There are several schools and initiatives in Australia teaching our dear mother tongue in the Australian states, most to students just starting their studies.

 

The pinnacle of Maltese teaching here is the high school examination in year 12.  Each state has it’s name for this exam (VCE in Victoria, HSC in NSW, SACE in South Australia).

 

In the past few years, Maltese has always had the same problem – the number of students sitting for this exam in any particular year, when counted around the whole of Australia, was smaller that that considered to be the minimum demonstrating sufficient interest for the education authorities to invest in.

 

This year is no exception, when last month, a delegation from the Federation of Maltese Language Schools (FMLS) was notified that once again Maltese was at the edge of the abyss, and if there wasn’t an increase of enrolled students, we should get ready to kiss our language goodbye from the official Australian educational curriculum.

 

I’m familiar mostly with the situation in NSW.  Here, school age students that want to have an HSC certificate in Maltese need to be presented by an accredited school, and in NSW the only such accredited school is the Saturday School for Community Languages in Seven Hills, where Maltese lessons are undertaken by Charles Galea, one of the pillars of Maltese teaching in Australia, to whom we should owe a burden of gratitude for his work over a long period of time.  If there are any parents interested in their school-age offspring obtain this certificate, I encourage them to contact the school at this address: mailto:saturdaycl-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au.

 

Adults in NSW have slightly more choice.  Although they cannot undertake the entire course and be assessed during the year as is done with school age students, marks that count towards the final score, they can present themselves and sit for the two examinations (oral and written) like the other students.

 

The eldest community school in NSW is the Maltese Language School of NSW which operates from Horsley Park, which refers students interested in the HSC to specialised classes.  More information is available from malteselanguageschoolnsw@hotmail.com.

 

Another established community school is Skola Maltija, operating from Rouse Hill, Greystanes, Gringila and Cobbitty.  They can be contacted at skolamaltijasydney@yahoo.com.au.

 

I also teach Maltese at all levels up to the HSC, to groups and individuals, in Blacktown and its surrounds, face to face or online.  This is a private tuition service with the name Dwejret il-Malti.  More information is available from dwejretilmalti@gmail.com.

 

Those living in other states of Australia are encouraged to contact organisations working in their states for more details.  I know about the following:

• •Victoria: MCCV (Maltese Community Council of Victoria), MLTAV (Modern Language Teachers’ Association of Victoria); VSL (Victorian School of Languages) 

• •Queensland: Skola Maltija Mackay 

• •WA: Maltese Association WA 

 

If other organisations or individuals are involved in this sphere who I haven’t identified, please do not hesitate in writing to the editors of The Voice of the Maltese, or to my blog, to announce your services.

 

For the rest of the readers, if there is the slightest interest in learning the Maltese language, moreso if you’d like to obtain an official certification in Maltese from the educational authorities in your state, I encourage you to approach someone who can help.  

 

We are here for you.

 

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Hawn diversi skejjel u inizjattivi fl-Awstralja li jgħallmu l-lingwa għażiża tagħna fl-istati Awstraljani, il-biċċa l-kbira lil studenti li jkunu għadhom qed jibdew l-istudji tagħhom.

 

Il-quċċata tat-tagħlim tal-Malti hawnhekk huwa l-eżami fil-livell tal-iskola sekondarja (high school) tas-sena 12.  Kull stat għandu l-isem tiegħu għal dan l-eżami (VCE f’Victoria, HSC f’NSW, SACE f’South Australia).  

 

Għal dawn l-aħħar snin, il-Malti dejjem kellu problema waħda – in-numru ta’ studenti li kienu qiegħdin joqogħdu għal dan l-eżami f’sena partikolari, meta jingħaddu madwar l-Awstralja kollha, huwa iżgħar minn dak li huwa meqjus li huwa l-minimu li juri li hemm interess biżżejjed biex l-awtoritajiet edukattivi jinvestu fih.

 

Din is-sena mhi l-ebda eċċezzjoni, fejn ix-xahar li għadda, delegazzjoni mill-Federation of Maltese Language Schools (FMLS) ġiet mgħarrfa għal darb’oħra li l-Malti huwa f’xifer l-irdum u jekk ma jkunx hemm żieda fl-istudenti li humu miktuba, il-Malti nistgħu ngħidulu bonswa fil-kurrikulu uffiċjali edukattiv Awstraljan.

 

Jien familjari l-iktar bis-sitwazzjoni ta’ NSW.  Hawnhekk, studenti tal-iskola li jridu jkollhom iċ-ċertifikat tal-HSC fil-Malti jridu jkunu ppreżentati minn skola akkreditata, u f’NSW l-unika skola akkreditata fil-Malti hija s-Saturday School for Community Languages ta’ Seven Hills, fejn il-lezzjonijiet bil-Malti jsiru minn Charles Galea, wieħed mill-pilastri tat-tagħlim tal-Malti fl-Awstralja, li għandna nkunu grati għax-xogħol tiegħu fuq medda twila ta’ żmien.  Jekk hawn xi ġenituri li interessati li uliedhom li għadhom l-iskola jġibu dan iċ-ċertifikat, inħeġġiġhom jikkuntattjaw lill-iskola f’dan l-indirizz: saturdaycl-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au.

 

L-adulti ta’ NSW għandhom ftit iktar għażla.  Għalkemm ma’ jistgħux jagħmlu l-kors sħiħ u jiġu assessjati matul is-sena kif isir għat-tfal tal-iskola, marki li jgħoddu għall-marka finali, jistgħu jippreżentaw ruħhom u joqogħdu għaż-żewġ eżamijiet (orali u kitba) bħall-istudenti l-oħra.

 

L-iktar skola antika komunitarja f’NSW hija l-Maltese Language School of NSW li taħdem f’Horsley Park, li tirreferi studenti interessati fl-HSC għal klassijiet speċjalizzati.  Tistgħu iġġibu iktar informazzjoni minn malteselanguageschoolnsw@hotmail.com.

 

Skola komunitarja oħra stabbilita hija Skola Maltija, li topera minn Rouse Hill, Greystanes, Cringila u Cobbitty.  Wieħed jista’ jikkuntattjahom fuq skolamaltijasydney@yahoo.com.au.

 

Jien ukoll ngħallem il-Malti f’kull livell sal-HSC, lil gruppi jew individwi, f’Blacktown u l-madwar, wiċċ imb’wiċċ jew onlajn.  Dan huwa servizz privat bl-isem Dwejret il-Malti.  Iktar informazzjoni tista’ tinkiseb minn dwejretilmalti@gmail.com.

 

Għal min joqgħod fi stati oħra tal-Awstralja, inħeġġiġkom biex tikkuntattjaw lill-organizzazzjonijiet li jaħdmu fl-istati tagħkom għal iktar dettalji.  Li naf bihom huma dawn li ġejjin:

• •Victoria:  MCCV (Maltese Community Council of Victoria); MLTAV (Modern Language Teachers’ Association of Victoria); VSL (Victorian School of Languages) 

• •Queensland: Skola Maltija Mackay 

• •WA: Maltese Association WA 

 

Jekk hemm organizzazzjonijiet jew individwi oħra involuti f’dan il-qasam li ma semmejtx hawn fuq, toqogħdux lura milli tiktbu lill-edituri ta’ The Voice of the Maltese, jew lill-blogg tiegħi, ħalli tħabbru s-servizz tagħkom.

 

Lill-bqija tal-qarrejja, jekk hemm xi nitfa ta’ interess fit-tagħlim tal-lingwa Maltija, iktar u iktar jekk tixtiequ li ġġibu ċertifikat uffiċjali tal-Malti mill-awtoritajiet edukattivi tal-istat tagħhom, inħeġġiġkom tavviċinaw lil min jista’ jgħinkom.  

 

Aħna qiegħdin hawn għalikom.

 

Internet fraud -- Il-qerq bl-internet

 

From the early beginnings of the ARPANET, a network connecting research organisations in academia in the United States at the end of the sixties, up till today where billions of computers around the world are connected and communicate continuously together, (mainly) freely, the internet has become and indispensable tool with which people, organisations and machines communicate; store, disseminate and access information; find entertainment; purchase and sell products and services; and pass countless hours lost in this new virtual world.

 

Lately I was reminded how a common yet ugly traid of mankind has found its way into the internet world, and this is fraud, or the attempt thereof.  I received a message on the Facebook app used for chatting, Messenger, from a friend of mine, or someone I thought was my friend.  This was also accompanied by my friend’s picture.

 

My suspicions had already been aroused when the contact included emoji that my friend had absolutely never used, but decided this time I wouldn’t ignore him to see what what happen.

 

I was first asked to promise I’d never tell anyone what he was about to tell me.  Afterwards, he informed me he had won a million dollars, and I was the first one he was telling.  How lucky I am, ain’t I?

 

Then he told me I could win a similar amount if I had to go onto a particular website, on which he said I had seen my name written, and he didn’t wish for me to lose my winnings.  How altruistic!

 

Finally, he sent me an internet address, apparently legitimate, for me to redeem my winnings.  He wanted me to do this there and then and stay guiding me what to do.  At this point, I spat the dummy and everything stopped there.

 

You’d be amazed that after all the stories of deception mentioned in the newspapers and the news, there I was in 2019, chatting away with who knows who, God knows from where, whose only aim was to screw me big time, bleed me dead or acquire some information on me that he didn’t already have to screw me some other time.

 

I was only sorry for my real friend who I later discovered whose name and photos were taken deceitfully in an attempt to further deceive other online friends.  It was an embarassing situation that could easily happen to everyone, including me and you.

 

These attempts are very common, and lately seem to have increased.  I often receive an email informing me of some unbelievable inheritance that I’d regretfully lose if I didn’t forward the details of my bank account to some Nigerian benefactor.  Recently I even received a personal letter sent by snail mail from England on a similar unexpected inheritance waiting for me in Hong Kong.

 

I look on such attempts at rather pathetic, containing so many signs of being fraudulent, like the amount of communication mistakes, or the fantastic and completely improbable story line, and others.

 

Nevertheless, I understand that even so one might easily be deceived, especially if without experience, or be in desperate need for money, and such a story might represent the proverbial manna falling from the sky (if it were true).

 

I remember some years ago, another of my friends had shown me a similar email, with all the suspicious factors as detailed earlier (large inheritance, need for bank details, connection to Nigeria etc) and asked for my opinion.  I naturally told her my concerns and advised her to show no interest in the received communication.  Nevertheless, my friend seemed inclined to continue communicating with the sender regardless of my advice.  I did lose contact with this person, and so don’t know how it ended, I pray to God that it didn’t end up one of the sad stories we hear about.

 

To you readers of this article, I can only recommend you a well known rule in this space: if a story seems to good to be true, it probably is!

 

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Mill-bidu bikri tal-ARPANET, netwerk li jgħaqqad organizzazzjonijiet tar-riċerka akkademiċi fl-Istati Uniti fl-aħħar tas-sittinijiet, sal-lum fejn biljuni ta’ kompjuters madwar id-dinja huma mqabbdin u jikkomunikaw kontinwament flimkien, b’mod (fil-biċċa l-kbira) liberu, l-internet sar mod indispensabbli kif bnedmin, organizzazzjonijiet u magni jikkomunikaw ma’ xulxin; jaħżnu, jiddisseminaw u jaċċessaw informazzjoni; isibu divertiment; jixtru u jbiegħu; u jgħaddu sigħat sħaħ mehdijin f’din id-dinja l-ġdida virtwali.

 

Dan l-aħħar ġejt imfakkar kif aspett uman komuni iżda pjuttost ikrah fil-bniedem, sab ukoll postu fid-dinja tal-internet, u dan huwa l-qerq, jew l-attentat ta’ qerq.  Irċevejt messaġġ fuq il-programm tal-Facebook li jintuża għat-taħdit virtwali (chat), il-Messenger, minn ħabib tiegħi, jew dak li ħsibt li huwa ħabib tiegħi.  Dan kien ukoll akkumpanjat minn ritratt ta’ ħabibi.

 

Is-suspetti tiegħi kienu diġà qamu meta l-kuntatt kellu karattri ta’ emozzjonijiet (emoji) li ħabibi assolutament qatt ma juża, imma ddeċidejt li din id-darba ma ninjorahx ħa nara kif se tiżviluppa l-istorja.  

 

L-ewwel talabni li nwiegħdu li ma ngħid lil ħadd dak li kien se jtarrafli.  Wara, infurmani li kien rebaħ kwart ta’ miljun dollaru, u jien kont l-ewwel wieħed li kien informa.  Kemm jien ixxurtjat hux?

 

Imbagħad qalli li nista’ nirbaħ ammont simili jekk immur fuq websajt partikolari, għax qal li ra ismi fuqu, u ma xtaqx li nitlef il-ħlas.  Kemm kien bniedem altruista!

 

Fl-aħħar, bgħatli indirizz tal-internet, apparentement leġittimu, biex insarraf ir-rebħa tiegħi.  Riedni nagħmilha dak il-ħin u joqgħod jiggwidani x’kelli nagħmel.  F’dan il-punt, bżaqtlu s-sunnara, u waqaf kollox hemm.

 

Tibqa’ skantat, wara l-istejjer kollha ta’ qerq li jissemmew fil-gazzetti u fuq l-aħbarijiet, hemm jien fl-2019, qiegħed nitħaddet bil-kitba dak il-ħin stess ma’ bniedem, Alla biss jaf fejn kien, li kellu biss l-iskop li jitnejjek biha waħda nobis, u jew jisloħni xi waħda tinkiteb, jew jakkwista xi informazzjoni fuqi li għad m’għandux biex ikun jista’ jisloħni iktar ‘il quddiem.

 

Jiddispjaċini biss għal ħabibi li wara skoprejt li ismu u r-ritratti tiegħu kienu ttieħdu b’qerq f’attentat biex jiġu ngannati ħafna minn ħbiebu onlajn.  Sitwazzjoni imbarazzanti li faċilment tista’ tiġri lil kulħadd, anke lili u lilek.

 

Attentati bħal dawn huma komuni ħafna, u dan l-aħħar innutajt żieda tagħhom.  Spiss nirċievi xi imejl li jien eredi ta’ xi wirt ta’ barra minn hawn, u li jaħasra nitilfu jekk ma ngħaddix id-dettalji tal-bank tiegħi lil xi benefattur in-Niġerja, u dan l-aħħar anke ittra tal-karti mill-Ingilterra fuq wirt simili u mhux mistenni li qed jistennini f’Hong Kong.

 

Jien dawn l-attentati narahom pjuttost patetiċi, u jkun hemm ħafna sinjali li mhuma xejn ħlief mimlija qerq, bħall-ammont ta’ żbalji fil-komunikazzjoni, jew l-istorja fantastika u improbabbli għall-aħħar, u oħrajn.

 

Madankollu, nifhem li wieħed faċilment jitqarraq, speċjalment jekk m’għandux esperjenza, jew ikollu bżonn il-flus u storja bħal din tkun tirrappreżenta manna li taqa’ mis-sema (kieku kienet veritiera).

 

Niftakar snin ilu, ħabiba tiegħi kienet urietni imejl simili, bil-fatturi suspettużi kollha (wirt kbir, bżonn ta’ dettalji tal-bank, konnessjoni man-Niġerja eċċ) u staqsietni x’naħseb.  Jien naturalment ħassartilha u avżajtha biex ma turi l-ebda interess fil-komunikazzjoni li rċeviet.   Madankollu, ħabibti dehret li kienet inklinata li tkompli tikkomunika ma’ min kien bagħtielha minkejja l-pariri tiegħi.  Tlift il-kuntatt ma’ din il-persuna, u għalhekk ma nafx kif spiċċat din l-istorja, nitlob ‘l Alla biss li mhix biss waħda mill-istejjer tal-biki li sirna nisimgħu.

 

Lilkom il-qarrejja ta’ dan l-artiklu, nirrikmandalkom regola magħrufa sew f’dan il-qasam: jekk storja tinstema li hija tajba wisq biex tkun vera, probabbilment li mhix vera!