The Follow Up to GEW18 was organised in the school library of St Margaret College Secondary School Verdala on Friday 11 January  2019.

Three schools participated this year namely St Margaret College Secondary School Verdala, Cospicua, St Clare College Secondary School, Pembroke and Gozo College San Lawrenz Primary.  The Follow Up is an opportunity for student representatives of the participating school to speak in front of an audience about the work they carried out at school level during the actual global education week organised during the 3rd week of November 2018. The theme this year was ‘The World is changing, what about us?’.

The Year 3 students of Gozo College San Lawrenz Primary did a clean up in the area of the Inland Sea at Dwejra and then used the waste collected to design creative charts to raise awareness. The Year 5 students of the same school showed how cigarette butts, straws and bottle caps are harming the sea creatures.

Various groups of students from St Margaret College Secondary School, Verdala, Cospicua  participated. In relation to Religion and Science the Verdala Queen’s Young Leaders commemorated ‘Mental Health Awareness Day’ while other students in collaboration with Missio Malta focused on poverty in Uganda and

proposed practical solutions in aid of Ugandan children. The third group of students reflected on Christmas time as an opportunity for unity and peace between the three monotheistic religions that is between Christians, Muslims and Jews.

The geography students of St Margaret College interviewed people at Marsaxlokk on the issue of waste in Malta. Other geography students researched on the damage being done by plastic waste in our oceans and what we can all do to help the natural ecosystems.  Another presentation focused on the changes that are occurring in the world and whether these are causing positive or negative effects.

The social studies students focused on the internet and how it is changed our lives.

Then it was the turn of the students of social studies at St Clare College to give their presentations. They focused on the use of facebook and the internet, plastics in the seas and the need to stop bullying through comments on social media.

The representatives of KOPIN then organised an interactive activity to highlight the use of oil in our everyday activities and in the production of items that we commonly use.

The Hon Dr Clifton Grima Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations presented certificates to the participating students and link teachers.

Rita DeBattista

National co-ordinator for GEW