LOUIS

HiI come from Malta; the sunny island situated in the centre of the Mediterranean. I work in the social field. I have diverse interests in life which I try to make as exciting as possible.PRESSMy Latest article on THE MALTA INDEPENDENT - - ------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------THE MARKETISATION OF EDUCATION by LOUIS GRECH ----------------------------------------------------------Do es marketisation of education bring about a better education system? This was the theme of the latest meeting held by the think-tank group organised by the Centre of Labour Studies at the University of Malta and the Fredrich Ebert Foundation, that is the main sponsor of the centre. To a certain extent, the marketisation of education is already occurring at all levels of the educational system but mostly at the tertiary level. We have become accustomed to experience daily advertising exercises on our local press promoting degrees in various disciplines offered by foreign universities. Such advertisement has even found its way on our roads with flashy billboards on board of trailers pulled by small motor vehicles.This neo-liberal market system as experimented in the US and the UK might in the future find its way to Malta. The success of such a system stands whether it satisfies the criteria that education is the whole of the individual’s formation and should be equally accessible to all. Along the years this responsibility has been mainly attributed to the state; however a number of sectors among society are increasingly calling for a more decentralised and efficient educational system.There is no doubt that there is always room to enhance the educational system. For instance, as one participant pointed out, Malta still lacks a specialised curriculum aimed for the inclusion of students. Moreover state-provided education is sometimes coined as inefficient, having a number of unmotivated teachers and students. Free market supporters claim that it is a self-regulatory system that can provide a more incentive-reward system and stimulate competition and motivation.There could be a risk that by treating education as a mere commodity, it could lead to the increase of an already existent sub-stratum of students who complete their academic years without formal qualifications. An increasing privatised educational system could mainly cater for students that can pay while those who cannot afford are disadvantaged, irrespective of their capability to achieve.The state can intervene by providing a voucher system so that every parent and student can be free to choose their school and not being confined to the area state school. This in itself may provide a risk that the state will eventually abdicate from its responsibility to provide education and abandon the said sub-strata of students to the mercy of the market forces, where the maxim is that of more with less.One of the scholars present at the meeting insisted that young children who get detached from their immediate social network would experience a trauma as a result. The voucher system would also create the formation of a “football league table” system among schools and dominated by a usual top five, thus presenting numerous negative implications.Among the participants of the think-tank group who believe that the value of a school mostly lies on the intake of its students, are some who doubt the reliability of certain institutes represented in Malta that grant access to any student who can pay their hefty prices; “it’s like buying your degree”. They called for an updated regulatory system.Nevertheless a participant involved in the management of a local institute representing a foreign university in Malta pointed out that European standards are more concerned about the output level of students in completing the degree rather than at course intake level. One must point out that such institutes are in a way providing a wider access to tertiary education for people who for some reason or another were denied from the possibility to attend for locally, also given that the law currently prohibits the set up of a competitor university in Malta.The above are just some salient points of the interesting debate that took place which surely requires a more in-deep reflection. Thanks to such initiatives the Centre for Labour Studies is promoting an avant-garde and democratic discourse among some of the key persons [email protected] --------- ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- -------------------DOMUS OF BACCHUS Written by Louis Grech on ESPRESSOThe recent boom in the opening of wine bars around the island is to say the least, impressive. I would also dare to suggest that wine consumption is substantially on the increase especially with the reduction in the price of imported wine. Wine is a culture and is pleasant to consume obviously in moderate amounts. If you are in the company of friends or dining with a gorgeous partner than most probably wine is ever-present to complete the triangle.As most people are aware of, wine used to have a mythological god associated with. A god that was born out of virginity was killed and re-born. He was the mighty Greek god of wine Dionysius (that could mean Son of God from Dio—god, and Nyos—son or child) or the Roman equivalent Bacchus. Bacchus was the orgiastic deity of Bacchanalia, the religious wine festivals held throughout the Roman Empire. According to classical mythology Bacchus used to be accompanied by his followers the maenads who were his female devotees also known as Bacchae and Bacchantes. Inspired by him to ecstatic frenzy, they accompanied him in his wanderings carrying out his orgiastic rites while they could tear animals apart and devour the raw flesh. The Maenads used to continuously be sexually demanded by naughty mythological creatures called satyrs. The satyrs were represented as woodland creatures with pointed ears, legs, and short horns of a goat (sort of goatmen)The archaeological evidence of this cult in Malta that fall under Roman rule in 218BC lies in the mosaic remains of the Roman Domus (circa 1st century BC) in particular represented in one of the emblamata. The emblemata are picture-like frames composed with tiny pieces (vermicular) of mosaics in stone or terracotta matrices which were placed at the centre of the room and framed by various geometrical mosaic borders. The ‘Bacchus’ emblema measuring 63cm by 57cm is generally presented as an allegory of autumn depicts a naked boy holding a bunch of grapes and a pomegranate and also showing a duck and a bird. Several scholars in fact do not agree about the ‘Autumn’ interpretation since the allegory of seasons in Roman art started to appear after the 2nd Century A.D. (see Caselli 2002). This emblema is more likely to represent a classical mythological theme with the naked boy may be none other than the illustration of the Roman God of Wine Bacchus in his infancy (see Caselli 2002).ImageThe kind of fruit depicted in this emblema mainly the bunch of grapes and the pomegranates were sacred symbols of Bacchus. Another emblema generally taken to be connected with the cult of Bacchus found at the Domus Romana; is the one showing two nymphs punishing a satyr. This emblema was found in the area which most probably was the original main entrance of the house. One of the mosaic borders that originally surrounded this emblema, also shows a garland of fruit (including the pomegranate and the grapes), flowers and theatrical masks.Judging by such aesthetical richness in mosaic floors that used to adorn this roman house; its owner apart from having had a fine taste in art must have also had a soft spot for Bacchus the God of Wine. Thus remember the next time you are sipping a glass of fine wine you'll be enjoying the fine nectar of this great god.P.S. This article was typed on a pda in the company of a fine bottle of Barolo and of a gorgeous young lady, hence the inspiration.------------------------------------------------ ----------- ------------------------ More articles available on LOUIS GRECH ON PRESS