Charmaine Buttigieg

01.07.2018

The best part of eSafety Label is that it can be a vehicle for children, to take their newly acquired skills and knowledge on online safety at home - therefore not only taking advantage of ICT tools to the fullest in perfect safety but perhaps even sharing these skills with their parents!

Charmaine Buttigieg, eSafety Label National Coordinator

Malta

Please introduce yourself and explain how and when you became involved with the eSafety Label world:
I was entrusted the eSafety Label under my portfolio, to assist existing schools to advance further in their certification, from bronze to gold certification. We embarked on a further tougher ground, that of encouraging new schools, get their eSafety Label certification. I think one of the best parts of this initiative is that it can indirectly be a vehicle for children, to transfer with them at home, the knowledge or thoughts they gain at school with regards to using ICT devices, when they are at home using the same ICT devices without adult supervision.

What is your favourite part of being an eSafety Label National Coordinator? Do you have any fun/inspiring anecdotes to share?
It is encouraging seeing schools satisfied that they achieved the certification, especially in newly certified schools. The biggest challenge is not only convincing schools, but trying hard to push their authority to dedicate staff to assist and help schools get the actual certification, mostly by making them believe in the benefits of being educated in an eSafety Label certified school. eSafety Label can be considered as a continuous educational platform for teachers or educators alike, as well as for pupils themselves. Being recognised and available within all European schools, is indeed a great achievement.

What do you expect from the future of the eSafety Label initiative?
I wish if it would be possible for the eSafety Label initiative, to 'be present' in certified schools. My idea is that maybe from time to time end once every term (in our case once every three months), schools received a communication (even an email), addressed directly to them encouraging them or providing further tips. Just to make the eSafety Label more present within the school environment and nearer to the school administration. In the case of Malta I think, it would be greatly appreciated rather than having them to log in themselves on the system.

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