Teachers hear of need to nip student violence in the bud

Violent behaviour by pupils toward their teachers must be tackled immediately in order to stamp it out in future, according to a Danish psychologist.

Speaking during the Malta Union of Teachers' biennial conference, on the theme Schools, Family And The Community: A Shared Responsibility, Per Kjeldsen highlighted the need for the presence of one or two teachers in every school who could react immediately when a child engaged in violent behaviour.

The MUT has voiced strong concerns following a number of violent outbursts by pupils in local schools.

Mr Kjeldsen said teachers from all over Europe have been enduring harassment and he stressed the importance of a zero-tolerance attitude towards the problem.

A similar opinion was voiced by Martin Rømer, the general secretary of the European Trade Union Committee for Education, who expressed the need to have a system in place that enabled immediate reaction to be undertaken. He said the ETUC was currently talking with European employers' organisations to come up with a solution about violence in the workplace.

MUT president John Bencini said it was the role of teachers and educators to teach children that they had duties as well as rights.

Yesterday's general conference approved a motion urging the MUT council to continue exerting pressure on the education authorities to protect teachers' right to teach and students' right to learn.

It also approved a motion underlining the need for a Teachers Council to regulate the profession.

In his closing speech, Mr Bencini said that last week the union had started discussions with the authorities on a draft memorandum about the reform of education.

He said the MUT was prepared to cooperate if it were convinced that this reform would bring about radical changes that reflected what happened in the classroom.

With reference to inclusive education, Mr Bencini expressed concern that 600 of 900 facilitators and kindergarten assistants did not have the necessary qualifications to be able to carry out their duties professionally.

Mr Bencini had words of praise for the newly opened St Benedict College, which brings together both secondary school-aged boys who pass their Junior Lyceum exams and those who do not. He said this was a "very positive step in the right direction".