- The Directorate for Lifelong Learning oversees adult basic skills provision in Malta, including literacy, numeracy, ICT, and foreign language courses. - Teachers are recruited through a public call and must have an MQF level 6 qualification. They receive continuous professional development training. - Quality assurance coordinators monitor classes and provide feedback to help course coordinators. - Learners receive ongoing feedback and compile portfolios. They do a standardized assessment to certify acquiring the necessary level.

1. Directorate for
Lifelong Learning
Adult Basic Skills Provision
Mario Cardona
Education Officer
(Lifelong Learning)
Mario.cardona@ilearn.edu.mt

2. Selection and CPD
 Selection of staff is through a public call and a rigorous
interview. Professional teachers are recruited for the
job with at least an MQF level 6 qualification
 A coordinator for Basic Skills (Literacy and Numeracy)
and a coordinator for ICT take care of courses logistics
and courses development
 Staff are offered Continuous Professional Development
through pre-service and in-service training sessions.
Plans are in hand for the validation of these courses
 Coordinators also perform class visits to offer support
to staff throughout the course

3. Quality Assurance
 A common framework is adopted by all
adult educators in numeracy and literacy
and in computer awareness
 A coordinator for Quality Assurance
supports the overall process by paying
visits to classes, and by helping
coordinators to develop mechanisms for
the provision of feedback to adult
educators

4. Feedback to adult learners
 Learners are provided continuous feedback through the
use of a checklist whereby the adult educator assesses
the acquisition of knowledge, skills and competence
along the course
 A portfolio is compiled by learners along the course
where they keep evidence of the Learning outcomes
reached
 A standardised end-of-course formal assessment is
carried out to certify whether the learner has acquired the
necessary level
 A second assessor reviews the marked assessment
papers for the sake of consistency and transparency.

5. Validation
 Basic skills (Literacy & Numeracy)
courses and Computer Awareness have
been level rated at MQF level 1
 A process for the validation of level 2
Basic Skills courses is currently in
process

6. Strategic Partners
 The Directorate provides basic skills
courses in its Adult Education Centres,
seven in Malta and one in Gozo
 It has established a working relationship
with the Department of Local
Government to provide Basic Skills
courses in Local Councils through a
special funding scheme

7.  Other community based courses are provided in
conjunction with ACCESS community centres,
with the Paulo Freire Institute and SVDP
Residence
 Basic Skills courses and Computer Awareness
courses are provided in conjunction with the
National Council of Women and FITA
 The Directorate supports NGOs working with
disadvantaged groups in the provision of Basic
Skills and Computer Awareness courses such as
Caritas and St Jeanne Antide Foundation

8. Employers
 The Directorate has cooperated with the
Armed Forces of Malta to conduct a wide
ranging up-skilling exercise by providing
Basic Skills courses for army recruits in
various centres in Malta and Gozo
 This service can be provided to other
employers who may be interested in the
skilling, re-skilling or up-skilling of their
workforce

9. Learners who sat for the formal
assessment in basic skills at MQF level 1
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
2011 2012
Numeracy
English
Maltese

10. Computer Awareness Courses
carried out in 2011-2012
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
learners
attended course
sat successfully for final
assessment

11. Other courses
 The Directorate offers a number of MQF 1 courses in
a number of languages with the aim of enabling adults
take up the learning of foreign languages starting off
from a very basic level.
 We are currently in the process of validating level 2
courses in the various languages.
 The same applies for a variety of craft courses with
the aim of provided accreditation to learners who
learn either a foreign language or a craft.
 The Directorate also organises a number of family
learning courses where parents are educated in
knowledge, skills and competences related to their
children’s education – complement the basic skills.

12. Its never too late to learn!
Qatt mhu tard biex titgħallem!
Thankyou!
Grazzi!