The General Workers’ Union has weighed in on the ongoing debate surrounding the future of vocational education in Malta’s secondary schools, insisting that students with practical and technical talents deserve a clear pathway to succeed.The union was reacting to proposals by the Education Ministry concerning the future of vocational education at secondary level.According to the GWU, manual, technical and practical skills should not be treated as being of lesser value than academic achievement, particularly given the role skilled workers play across Malta’s economy.“Behind every industry, every service and every workplace in this country stand workers whose skill, trained over years, keeps Malta running,” the union said.The GWU argued that students who demonstrate an aptitude for hands-on, technical or vocational work should have access to an educational pathway offering the same quality, opportunities and prospects for a successful career as students following more traditional academic routes.Representing thousands of workers across Malta’s trades and technical professions, the union said experience has shown that vocational skills can lead to fulfilling, well-paid and respected careers when students receive the right training and support.However, it stressed that any new vocational pathway should not simply recreate systems used in the past.Instead, the GWU is calling for workers, trade unions and industry representatives to be directly involved in developing any reforms, with quality and dignity placed at their centre.“No student who chooses this path [should feel] that their talent is worth any less,” the union said.The GWU said it now intends to contribute to discussions on the proposed reforms, with the goal of ensuring students across Malta and Gozo who excel in practical skills are given a genuine opportunity to reach their full potential.What do you make of this statement?•