During a plenary session of the Euroscola at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Emily Slater stole the spotlight when she made her case for a more inclusive educational system in Malta. In her address, Emily, who has autism, made a very valid point that she is being discriminated against because her condition prevents her from be able to sit for her exams in Maltese (although English is the other official language in Malta), and thus being allowed to attend the University of Malta.
The Euroscola initiative in Malta includes the active participation of eight different schools. After undergoing an exam, Sixth Formers from the participating schools are selected to become a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for one day at the Parliament’s premises in Strasbourg. They take the floor in plenary and committee sessions and vote on resolutions on current affairs.
This event is a unique experience for such students for they experience the European project with hands-on involvement. Slater is one of almost 200 students from Malta participating in Euroscola every year.