The eight volunteers of MissInTech are joined by Melita, providing connectivity and logistical support to the group’s workshops, as well as other activities which promote science to both girls and boys, according to the press statement.

Melita has worked for the last years with the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) and has been certified with the Equality Mark Certification, which the telco has held since its introduction in 2010, according to a statement sent to BM.

MissInTech, an NGO seeking to bridge the gender gap in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, was founded by women during their ICT university studies in 2016.

The organisation has held seven workshops centred around a particular theme each to help get and retain the attention of the participating 20-25 children.

“It’s a magical moment every time a child uses robots for the first time. When they realise that they are the ones making the robot interact in the way they want it to, they are always incredibly proud of themselves. We look forward to creating more magical moments like these through which we are also helping young girls and boys fall in love with science and technology,” said Rowena Chappell of MissInTech.

Further information on the upcoming workshop, as well as the work of the organisation, can be found on MissInTech’s Facebook page.

Europe-wide, four times more men pursue ICT-related studies than women, according to a 2018 study by the European Commission. As a more worrisome figure, the number of women taking up ICT-related higher education had been dropping since 2011, the EC study found.

The share of men working in the digital sector is 3.1 times bigger than the share of women, the EC study found, while the European economy’s productivity loses approximately €16.2b a year due to women leaving their digital jobs to become inactive.

The 2018 EC study also found that despite women-run startups showing more likelihood to grow into successful businesses, women participation in leadership and investment in the entrepreneurial digital sector had been on the decrease.

“Data trends and qualitative analysis suggest that gender inequality in the digital sphere is essentially a result of the persistence of strong unconscious biases about what is appropriate and what capacities each gender has, as well as about the technologies themselves which require a fundamental cultural change,” the summary of the EC study says.

EDITORIAL NOTE: The present story has been updated with information about Melita’s collaboration with the NCPE.

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The mini-town will offer play booths resembling facilities used by adults every day, such as a supermarket, a medical centre, a police station, a café and diner, a picnic area and others. In addition, the venue will include a room for little learners, where children can express their imagination supported by educational and multi-sensorial toys.

“The concept of mini-towns for children’s play is hugely popular abroad but has never been done before in Malta. For 12 days only, children in Malta will soon be able to experience the fun, adventure and excitement of make-believe in this colourful town that is all theirs to safely explore and enjoy,” said Chiara George, creator of Little Peeps Pop Up Town.

The recommended age is from 18 months to seven years but the project also includes a small soft play area for younger children. Each child must attend with an adult, who will be able to join the café next to the town while the kids play.

Tickets are available for online purchase prior to the event.

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The programme centres around a workshop entitled “Needs and Wants”, which adopts gamification to get children engaged and have fun while learning. The workshop was originally developed by the Primary Mathematics Support Team at the Science Centre Pembroke within the Ministry for Education for ‘X’Hemm Weekend’, a national STEM — the academic principle of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics — popularisation event and was specifically adapted for Skolasajf.

Playing the game during the workshop, children can earn credit when answering questions about financial literacy correctly and then they work on building a kite using the budget they have accumulated. Maths Support Team members and coordinators of the workshop Amanda Cilia, Analisa Magro, Francesca Cutajar and Jeanelle Attard agree that gamification makes a topic such as budgeting more interesting for children to learn the basics of budgeting.

“It is imperative that digital literacy increases across the board and especially important to start early so that children grow up understanding that one should live within their means and also plan for the future,” said David Spiteri-Gingell, Chairman of the RFCG.

“The introduction of the financial literacy topic in the Skolasajf programme is a step in the right direction, towards helping children become citizens that can make informed choices,” said Dermot Galea, CEO of the Foundation for Educational Services which manages Skolasajf. Mr Galea also lauded the partnership with HSBC, which is being consolidated every year.

The project will involve a total of 360 school children attending Skolasajf during this summer. This is one of a number of projects which HSBC Foundation and Ġemma are running in collaboration to enhance digital literacy among school children.

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Before the flight, students received brief talks on the formalities of the airport by both Air Malta and Malta International Airport personnel. After this, students visited the airline’s engineering hangar to see Air Malta’s latest Airbus A320neo aircraft sporting Nickelodeon livery. One of the airline’s engineers explained some technical features of the aircraft during the visit.

The school organised the event together with Air Malta’s Captain Mark Micallef and the airline’s charter flights section. “It was made possible with the assistance given by the teachers and guardians of St Monica School who also accompanied the children, Malta International Airport including its Fire and Rescue Section and the Malta Air Traffic Services Ltd,” Air Malta says.

Every year many local schools take the opportunity to organise similar educational flights on Air Malta for their students, the press statement adds.

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