Directives issued to educational psychologists earlier this month have been withdrawn by the Malta Union of Professional Psychologists.

The union had ordered psychologists working in the Education Division's Psychological Services Department not to do any work related to assessing and recommending students sitting for Junior Lyceum examinations and not to carry out visits to state, Church and independent schools.

The dispute revolves around the 1996 collective agreement between the union and the government which lays down that allowances are to be paid to psychologists employed by the government. But the union had complained that these allowances were not being paid to all psychologists alike.

Union president Paul Bartolo yesterday said the director general of education offered to open negotiations as from this week and also withdrew the threat of disciplinary action against psychologists if they did not abide by a new timetable.