Momentum condemns partisan visit to post-secondary school by Labour Party Deputy Leaders

Momentum strongly condemns the recent visit by the Deputy Leaders of the Labour Party to the Higher Secondary School, a State post-secondary educational institution. This action represents a clear and unacceptable intrusion of partisan politics into a space that should remain dedicated to learning, critical thinking, and the free development of young people.

Post-secondary students are young adults, many of whom are eligible voters and who are in the process of forming their own independent political views. Precisely because of this, educational institutions have a duty to safeguard a neutral environment, free from undue partisan political influence or the appearance of endorsement of any political party.

The presence of high-ranking partisan figures within a school setting risks creating implicit pressure on students and blurs the line between education and political campaigning. It raises serious concerns about fairness, ethics, and respect for democratic principles, especially when access to students is not equally granted to all political actors.

Furthermore, this case shows how the Labour Party is taking its incumbency power to new levels, by using its position in Government to enter public institutions and reach out to young voters in an environment where they should be protected from partisan influence.

Momentum believes that schools must never be used, directly or indirectly, as platforms for political messaging. Students should be empowered to engage with politics on their own terms, not exposed to one-sided political visibility within institutions that hold authority over them.

We call on educational authorities to:

• Clarify the circumstances under which this visit was approved;
• Establish clear and transparent guidelines regulating political visits to educational institutions;
• Ensure that all students are protected from partisan influence within their learning environment.

Democracy thrives when citizens are free to think critically and make informed choices without pressure. Protecting the neutrality of our educational spaces is essential to safeguarding that freedom.

Momentum tikkundanna żjara partiġġjana minn Deputati Mexxejja tal-Partit Laburista f’istituzzjoni post-sekondarja

Momentum tikkundanna b’mod qawwi ż-żjara riċenti tad-Deputati Mexxejja tal-Partit Laburista fl-iskola Higher Secondary, istituzzjoni edukattiva post-sekondarja tal-Istat. Dan l-att jirrappreżenta intrużjoni ċara u inaċċettabbli tal-politika partiġġjana fi spazju li għandu jibqa’ ddedikat għat-tagħlim, il-ħsieb kritiku u l-iżvilupp liberu taż-żgħażagħ.

Studenti post-sekondarji huma żgħażagħ adulti, ħafna minnhom eliġibbli biex jivvutaw, li jinsabu fil-proċess li jiffurmaw il-fehmiet politiċi indipendenti tagħhom. Proprju għalhekk, l-istituzzjonijiet edukattivi għandhom id-dmir li jħarsu ambjent newtrali, ħieles minn influwenza politika jew mill-perċezzjoni ta’ approvazzjoni ta’ xi partit.

Il-preżenza ta’ figuri politiċi ta’ livell għoli f’ambjent skolastiku toħloq pressjoni implicita fuq l-istudenti u tħawwad il-linja bejn edukazzjoni u kampanja politika. Dan iqajjem tħassib serju dwar il-ġustizzja, l-etika u r-rispett lejn il-prinċipji demokratiċi, speċjalment meta aċċess bħal dan ma jingħatax bl-istess mod lill-atturi politiċi kollha.

Barra minn hekk, dan il-każ juri kif il-Partit Laburista qed jieħu l-poter tal-incumbency għal livelli ġodda, billi juża l-pożizzjoni tiegħu fil-Gvern biex jidħol f’istituzzjonijiet pubbliċi u jilħaq lill-votanti żgħażagħ f’ambjent fejn dawn għandhom ikunu protetti minn influwenza partiġġjana.

Momentum temmen li l-iskejjel qatt m’għandhom jintużaw, direttament jew indirettament, bħala pjattaformi għal messaġġi politiċi. L-istudenti għandhom jingħataw l-ispazju biex jinvolvu ruħhom fil-politika skont it-termini tagħhom, mhux jiġu esposti għal viżibilità politika waħda biss f’istituzzjonijiet li għandhom awtorità fuqhom.

Nappellaw lill-awtoritajiet edukattivi biex:

• Jispjegaw iċ-ċirkostanzi li fihom din iż-żjara ġiet approvata;
• Jistabbilixxu linji gwida ċari u trasparenti li jirregolaw żjarat politiċi f’istituzzjonijiet edukattivi;
• Jiżguraw li l-istudenti kollha jkunu protetti minn influwenza partiġġjana fl-ambjent edukattiv tagħhom.

Id-demokrazija tissaħħaħ meta ċ-ċittadini jkunu ħielsa jaħsbu b’mod kritiku u jieħdu deċiżjonijiet infurmati mingħajr pressjoni. Il-protezzjoni tan-newtralità tal-ispazji edukattivi hija essenzjali biex tiġi mħarsa din il-libertà.

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