Birth certificate to enrol into government school....

Hi,

I would try here. I have heard that she is very sympethetic and approachable.

It would be better to go to the office in person. It is opposite the old opera house.

Just keep fighting, keep calling the education department.

The Maltese birth certificates are so different to the English ones, in the way that you can get countless copies, any time. They don't seem to understand that our certificates are for life, no copies and that we have the 2 versions.

Minister
Ms Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca B.A.(Legal & Humanistic Studies), Dip. Notary Public, M.P

Address:
Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity
Palazzo Ferreria
Republic Street
Valletta

Tel No: 2590 3062

Email:     marie-louise.coleiro@gov.mt
Website: http://www.mfss.gov.mt

My wife's, Lynnder's Maltese birth certificate is huge!! About four times the size of A4.

redmik wrote:

My wife's, Lynnder's Maltese birth certificate is huge!! About four times the size of A4.

Come to think about it, you can get 2 versions of the Maltese certificate but the short one is just a A4 computer printed sheet now! It does have the parents details on it though.

KTNF2002 wrote:

Afternoon everyone !

Could someone please give me some advice ?
Having waited an eternity (5 weeks) to get an appointment for our daughter to enrol into the local government school, when we went to Education Dept we were told our birth certificate was inadequate (it was not the long one with parents names on)
This was not made clear on the list of documents required and we have since discovered that our neighbour's daughter enrolled using the same short version. It's so upsetting a week before they are due to start.
I feel a long list of phone calls coming on tomorrow but know we will be fobbed off as we're foreigners. Our daughter is a bright little thing desperate to learn and make some new chums.

Can anyone give us some help ????

Many thanks

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I recommend you raise your question with this Facebook group, which specializes in the issue:

facebook.com/groups/371466666251933/

Unfortunately the procedure has been changed recently.

When we have enrolled our son back in March it was enough to visit the college principal's office with our documents and we received the enrollment notification within a week.

However now you have to make an appointment at one of the Ministry of Education's Diractorate (Ms White) with all your documents and they will handle your request and notify your local college.

So if you had the appointment at Ms White' department and they did not find your birth certificate sufficient then  I am afraid that there is no way around this unless you manage to persuade the same person to think otherwise.

The ministry of education has a free phone number 1571

Hi,

They have actually just gone back to how it was always done!

Anyway, this is all really bugging me, because, as a parent, if I were to keep my children off for more than 3 days in one month, I would be facing a court hearing and fine.

What is the birth certificate proving? I guess, that they have not taken a random child to another country? However, the passports are all in the same surname, you can't get a passport without a birth certificate, so what really is the problem....

Sounds like you might have to get another copy. It can be done quickly on the internet for £12

pevi wrote:

So if you had the appointment at Ms White' department and they did not find your birth certificate sufficient then  I am afraid that there is no way around this unless you manage to persuade the same person to think otherwise.

So, are you saying that the Maltese Government are prepared to deprive a child of its fundamental human right to education?
I don't think so even though they have not signed up to Article 26.


There may have to be some compromise but there is always a way round.

KTNF 2002 may wish to see this page, scroll down it to find relevant article:

claiminghumanrights.org/udhr_article_26.html

Or as previously suggested, while I was typing this, get a copy asap off the internet

Good luck!

Thanks everyone !
After phoning the Education Dept this morning and being very rudely dismissed for trying to speak to Ms White (she was in a meeting and couldn't possibly have a message taken on her behalf !) I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email to say that our daughter's been accepted ! I had sent some desperate emails out last night.
I can only assume the lady who we saw on Friday (Ms White was away) got it wrong and the birth certificate was acceptable.
Not wishing to moan but all this stress could've been avoided.
Anyway race is on to go to college to enrol, be issued with uniform list, equipment list, book transport and.....breathe !!

All this with 2 kids, no car and hubby returning to England to work as his registration papers have taken an eternity to appear. But that's another story

Hi, are they going to St. Pauls and what year are they in as I could help with list and uniform info.

Oh and if you take them in for the first day, you can sort free government transport from then on.

Also, you get the uniform in Mosta. I will think of the name later (age creeping in) It is on the same side as the petrol station (right hand side going towards the church.)
It advertises in the window that they do the uniforms. They go back in summer uniform, winter will be late Nov/early december.

The school will have the lists, not the college I expect but my kids are in Kinder 2, year 4 and 6 if that helps?

Ps, well done!

Thanks so much Caroline !
Florence will be in Year 3 at St Paul's
Enrolled at college today and off to get uniform tomorrow (WED)in Mosta so know exactly where you mean ! You must be a rugular there with 3 babies - or have you been able to hand down ?
A friend has given me a rough list but I have no idea equipment wise. I'm hoping to hear from school tomorrow
Be nice to meet up sometime - you sound very knowledgeable !!
I'm going to take Flo to school for the first week (or until she tells me otherwise - she's keen to be Miss Independent !)
Many thanks again

*regular* !

KTNF2002 wrote:

Thanks so much Caroline !
Florence will be in Year 3 at St Paul's

You must be very relieved. I am pleased for you and your daughter.

Hi, yes, it would be nice to meet up.

Although I said it is summer uniform, it would be good to get the winter tracksuit, as soon the mornings will be cold. It is allowed by the school to use the tracksuit in summer.

Don't worry too much about the school list but roughly it is about 15 copy books usually 48 pages some at double amount (think it's 126 pages. Year 3 will be a mix of narrow and wide lines. You will need some spare so it's good to just get a pack of 20 of each (about 4 euro a pack.)
You will also need a 1cm square book, a blank page, a A4 project book and 3 A4 buttoned plastic files a box file and shoe box!
They will all need plastic covers, usually 3 red, 3 blue, 3 green, yellow, brown and orange. You will also need some brown paper and a sheet of wrapping paper (then cover over the top with clear plastic covers.)
She will need a name tag, they know what you mean in the stationers.
As for reading/teaching books, I can't help, it might not be on the list yet. You will find that the first 2 weeks will be a constant trip to the stationers, you will need 5 euro for photocopies too.
She will still be writing in pencil, so will need the normal things, including glue stick, scissors, crayons, coloured pencils, paintbrush and colouring book.
Maybe we could meet up in that first week. I will still have my youngest with me, she starts Kinder 2 on the 3rd, we could grab a coffee and feel relieved that they are back to school after the long summer lol!

Caroline

Wow !
That was very helpful I need to pop to school tomorrow when we've got the uniform to pick up the equipment list but it is good to know roughly what we'll need. Somebody recommended Charlie's stationers (in Bugibba) but do you know anywhere else ?
I'd LOVE to catch up for a cuppa ! I will have my 18 mth old boy, Ted, so will probably be in a state of shock after dropping Flo off ! Thanks so much for ALL your help - it's so lovely to get some practical advice after all the paperwork !
Enjoy the last few days of summer hols x

theres another small stationers further up that road from charlies - pass the hardware shop and at the first junction turn right its on the right half way down the street

Thanks Toon Army !

Hi,

Charlie's is a good one, it will have any of the teaching books you might need but any stationers near you, however small, will have the school things in. If you get stuck with the teaching books, there is one near me, just give us a shout and I will check there for you.
Try to get the hard plastic covers, some do the cheaper, softer ones but they just fall off!
Charlie's stationers will also cover the teaching books for a very small charge but wait until the first week, as you will be given other books from the school to cover.

We could meet up at the Bocci Club at the school if you like on the Monday morning??

Good luck today!

Will pm you X

[no more politics, thanks]

Byron49 > no more politics here on the board please, as mentioned here