Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1502123
THERE was an ad on British tel- evision a while back, consisting of a bunch of 'celebrities' – the only one I actually remember was Tony Blair: who was prob- ably still Prime Minister, at the time – firing out a bunch of ran- dom names at the camera, as though in answer to an unheard question. In fact, the ad itself didn't seem to make very much sense, at all... until it got to the 'punch- line', so to speak: 'Everyone re- members a good teacher!' And just like that, everything suddenly fell into place. Not only was the ad itself part of a recruitment drive, within the British education sector; but it also bespoke a universal truth, that no one in his right mind can ever realistically deny. Because it's true, you know: people really DO remember the 'good teachers' they were fortunate enough to have had (assuming, of course, that they actually had any). And by 'good teachers', I don't necessarily mean the ones who were ex- ceptionally well-versed, in the subjects they were actually employed to teach; nor even the ones who were somehow 'inspirational', on matters en- tirely unrelated to the school curriculum (like Robin Wil- liams in 'Dead Poets Society', for example.) No: I'm referring specifical- ly to those teachers who were 'good' at... well, 'the art of teaching', if you know what I mean. Like a certain Mr Zahra, for instance; who – using only a torch, an orange, and a knit- ting needle – somewhow man- aged to 'open my eyes' (during a Year Five Science lesson) to... ... well, 'how the entire Solar System operates', I suppose. You know: why there's 'light in the daytime', and 'darkness at night'. That sort of thing... And yes, yes: I know it all seems perfectly obvious, now. But trust me, it didn't at the time. (So much so, that - and I say this in all sincerity – the only real difference between myself, and a 'Flat-Earther', is that: at age seven, I had a Sci- ence teacher named Mr Zahra. Those guys evidently didn't...) I could go on, of course. Hav- ing name-dropped Mr Zahra, it would be remiss of me not to also mention Miss Zammit Mangion (my Form One Eng- lish teacher: arguably, the only reason you are actually read- ing this, today); Mr Role (who introduced me to the hither- to-inconceivable notion that 'learning can actually be FUN'); and... ...well, I'll stop there, for now (not for lack of other inspira- tional teachers to name-drop; but just because this digres- sion has already gone on long enough, as it is.) The bottom line is: it was a certain histo- ry teacher I once had, named Prof. Victor Mallia Milanes, who first opened my eyes to... ... what the word 'history' ac- tually means: which – to quote his own definition, which I still remember almost 40 years laters – is 'a synonym for CHANGE.' And once again: he was per- fectly right (even though – be- ing somewhat precocious, aged 16 – I actually argued with him about it, in class). You could al- most pick out any of the truly 'epochal' events of world his- tory, at random: from the con- quests of Alexander The Great; to the Roman Empire, to The French Revolution, and beyond – and you will find that, in each and every case, the historical importance we attach to those events, will be directly propor- tional to amount of CHANGE, that they actually brought about. Which also means, by the way, that: when politicians are foolhardy enough make such 'bold' – if not, 'audacious' - claims, as: 'We have just made history!'... ... anyone with an under- standing of what the word 'his- tory' means, would be forgiven for expecting some form of tangible 'transformation' – of any kind whatsoever - to the current status quo. And indeed, this is exactly what Prime Minister Robert Abela seems to think he has actually done, with his govern- ment's (botched) 'abortion bill'. He didn't merely say: 'We have made history', and stop there. He also added: "Today marks a crucial milestone, as it brings about a substantial change that will disrupt the stagnant status quo in the country..." Erm.. sorry, but: what the heck is he even on about? What 'milestone'? What 'change'? Because as far as I can see, the only tangible achievement that Abela's abortion bill can possi- bly be credited with, is... um... 'cementing' precisely the same status quo, that it was original- ly supposed to 'disrupt'. It is basically just a bill which acknowledges all the existing maltatoday | SUNDAY • 25 JUNE 2023 10 OPINION What 'milestone'? What 'change'? Because as far as I can see, the only tangible achievement that Abela's abortion bill can possibly be credited with, is... um... 'cementing' precisely the same status quo, that it was originally supposed to 'disrupt' Abela has 'made history', all right... by taking us back to the Middle Ages! Raphael Vassallo