Managerial grades introduced into schooling

The government and the Malta Union of Teachers yesterday signed an agreement that groups the top education officials into managerial grades, the aim being to ensure more effective and autonomous schools.

The officials covered in the agreement are assistant directors of education, education officers and school heads.

The agreement also provides for the setting up for the first time of external School Quality Audits on the quality of education being provided in each school.

According to the agreement, all officials occupying managerial posts within the Education Division would take an active part in the school audits, which will start as from the next scholastic year.

Each team of school auditors would be led by a Principal Education Officer.

Education Minister Louis Galea and MUT president John Bencini said the agreement was expected to improve the quality of education.

It was another phase in the reform being implemented in education embarked upon by the government, Dr Galea said.

He said that in the coming weeks the Education Ministry would be embarking on national dialogue with those involved in education to discuss its proposals for the regeneration of the educational system from primary to tertiary education and beyond.

He added that the agreement was aimed at more professionalism in the management of more autonomous schools and in auditing to ensure a quality education in state, Church and private schools.

The agreement improves the conditions of work of the assistant directors, education officers and school heads.

It was a follow-up of the agreement reached between the government and the MUT for teachers in February, 2001.

It was then agreed that the grades of school heads, education officers and assistant directors would be discussed in a different framework that considered these grades as part of the managerial team with a commitment to implement national minimum curriculum objectives.

Asked to divulge the cost of the agreement for the government, Dr Galea said that one could not speak in terms of specific amounts at this stage but the ministry has allocated the money from its budget to cover the agreement, which consists mainly of allowances, and benefits, including performance benefits.

The persons affected by the agreement are 130 school heads, 44 education officers and 23 assistant directors.

Signing the agreement for the government were Education permanent secretary Charles Mizzi, Education Director General Cecilia Borg, the Director General at the Management and Personnel Office, Joe Izzo, and Mario Debattista from the Ministry of Finance.

Signing for the MUT were Mr Bencini, Joe Degiovanni, secretary general, Carmelo Busuttil, MUT senior vice-president and Joe Cilia Vincenti, vice-president.