Education Minister pledges zero tolerance to violence

Education Minister Louis Galea threw the ball back into the court of the teachers' union yesterday, accusing it of being misinformed and of glossing over the issue of unruly schoolchildren.

The MUT is incensed over the punishment handed down to a 14-year old student who attacked his geography teacher last week at the Paola Boys' Junior Lyceum. On Monday, the MUT accused the education authorities of being "all talk and no action", amid warnings of mobilising its members.

Dr Galea has reiterated his ministry's promise that it would adopt a zero tolerance attitude to violent and abusive behaviour.

The minister, who has ordered an inquiry into the Paola incident, said he had been assured that the school authorities acted promptly and had provided all the support needed by the teacher.

He confirmed that the student punched the teacher on his cheek and the teacher was promptly taken to the Paola health centre. He was asked to consult a dentist about a tooth possibly damaged with the punch. The police are prepared to arraign the youth in the juvenile court once the necessary medical certification is available.

The school heads immediately informed the police and the education authorities about the incident.

It was a mistake for MUT president John Bencini to give the impression that the teaching profession was being humiliated, when facts showed otherwise, Dr Galea said.

He also dismissed as incorrect statements by Mr Bencini that the aggressor walked back to school "like a hero" to sit for his examinations last Monday. In reality, the student was allowed to sit for his exam half an hour after his colleagues had started and was escorted to a separate classroom. He will be suspended until March 8, the minister said.

Though bad behaviour has always existed, Dr Galea admitted that negative developments in today's society were rendering more complex characters.

He listed a series of incentives the government had taken to bring more law and order into the schools, as well as assist the victims.

The ministry and the Education Division were setting up specialised training centres with the specific intention of dealing with unruly students, among others.

Though both the MUT and the education authorities were in agreement over the issue of discipline, there seems to be a divergence in the way the strategy should be adopted.

Suffice it to say that the government had published the National Policy for Discipline in Schools in 2002, which gave school authorities the right to expel disobedient students.

In the meantime, the National Board for School Behaviour has examined 67 cases of bad behaviour, and another six were pending.

The number of professionals offering their services to unruly students has grown and a counselling service has been introduced for teachers.

Dr Galea reminded the MUT that further initiatives were in the pipeline, including the creation of autonomous school colleges.

"While there are several children who are not interested in schooling, the vast majority, together with their parents, have excellent relations with their teachers and schools," the minister insisted.

In reaction to Dr Galea's comments, Mr Bencini said the union will be issuing an official reply today. However, he said it seems the Education Ministry is aware of the problem posed by unruly schoolchildren and what the minister said confirms the MUT's concerns.

Mr Bencini added the minister ought to listen to the problems encountered by teachers at grassroots level instead of relying too much on ministry officials.