Teaching Profession Council composition changed

Education Minister Louis Galea yesterday moved an amendment to the Education Act (amendment) Bill, changing the composition of the Teaching Profession Council.

The original composition of the council had been criticised by the opposition and the Malta Union of Teachers, who labelled it "the minister's council".

Originally the council would have consisted of nine members, including the chairman and three teachers selected by the minister and at least one of whom would have been from the non-state teaching sector. The other members were to be two nominated by teachers' associations, two nominated by the university and one nominated by parents' associations.

Dr Galea explained that appointments by the minister did not necessarily imply the minister's personal choice, but could be the minister's acceptance of a recommendation. Therefore the phrase "appointed by the minister" was being removed from the Bill. With the minister appointing only four members to the council, the majority would clearly be non-ministerial appointees, he said.

He added that (as originally proposed) the council chairman would be a member of the legal profession who would have served as magistrate or judge or had the qualifications to fill such posts. This was necessary because the council would be a quasi-judicial body that would investigate serious shortcomings and impose penalties, Dr Galea said.

Besides the chairman, who would be nominated by the minister, one of the minister's nominees would be from the new Directorate of Quality and Standards and one from the new Directorate for Educational Services. There would be four elected representatives of staff (two from the primary and two from the secondary levels), two registered teachers nominated by the association representing the majority of registered teachers, a registered teacher representing staff in non-state schools, two members nominated by the university, and a parent nominated by the Parents' Association.

Members would meet at least once a month and hold their posts for three years.

Explaining other sections of the Bill, the minister said that henceforth, a teaching warrant would be awarded after a graduate from a teachers' course had two years' teaching experience in a supervised environment. This would be similar to newly-graduated doctors who worked as housemen for two years even before they got their warrants.

When this Bill became law, the qualifications required for a teaching warrant would be B.Educ. or equivalent teaching-related courses, doctorates or master's degrees with paedagogic courses.

Holders of a temporary warrant for at least eight years would still be eligible for a permanent warrant after 15 years of teaching.

Opposition spokesman Carmelo Abela generally welcomed these amendments and said they proved that the opposition's criticism in the second reading of the bill were justified and had been heeded. He added that the opposition would have more specific comments as the clause-by-clause debate wore on.

Opposition leader Alfred Sant said that rather than the voluminous amendments he would have expected Dr Galea to say how he and the government were looking at the teaching profession. The way the teaching profession was being presented showed that it was facing more entry barriers. The minister should have spoken about the model being followed by the government for the primary and secondary sectors.

What sort of career forecasting and structures were available? How would teachers in Malta compare with the mainstream in the rest of the EU? The fact that the House had been told nothing about these aspects was a mistake. Dr Galea said the issue of a teaching model was clearly laid out in the Bill. This was the latest in a whole series of progressions in the education sector. In time the teaching profession would need more than just years of experience, as in several other service sectors. Malta had never acted in a vacuum removed from what other countries were doing in the education sector. Processes invariably took years to materialise and mature, with the involvement of not only governments but also universities. This was true not just of the EU 25 but all over Europe. There needed to be level playing fields even in the duration of particular courses.

Dr Sant insisted that the government must have a projection to work on, which was not apparent in the debate. It was not right to compare teachers with doctors, psychologists or people in other sectors. Was this a way of addressing a perceived over-supply of teachers?

Dr Galea said he did not agree with the Opposition leader's assessment. The government was placing no barriers in anybody's way, and there would be no repercussions on the labour market. Teaching experience besides academic qualifications would continue to be necessary if one wanted to be a registered teacher.

He said people who had followed a teaching course abroad might be required by the Teaching Profession Council to undergo an adaptation period before being granted warrants.

As for individuals already reading for a Master's degree with a view to applying for a permanent teaching warrant, if already registered they would continue to be governed by the old regulations.

The Kindergarten Assistant position had been upgraded by the requirement of a diploma. At some point in time anybody starting in this role would have to hold a university degree.

Replying to various questions by Carmelo Abela (MLP) Dr Galea said the Minister for Education would retain the authority to issue temporary warrants for a year because there would always be circumstances where teachers were suddenly in short supply in a particular subject, leading to the necessity of hiring so-called supply teachers. In such cases, the best qualified individuals were selected to fill the posts. The minister should always have this authority, even though in practice he would only be putting his signature to a recommendation by the education authorities.

Replying to questions on instructors holding temporary teaching warrants, Dr Galea said the situation would remain unchanged for those holding temporary warrants for at least eight years, and they would be eligible for a permanent warrant after 15 years' experience.

The choice had fallen on eight years because research had shown that all instructors holding temporary warrants had been teaching for more than that number of years.

Furthermore, Dr Galea said, progress had been made with the trade union on a new agreement to improve conditions for the instructors.

Dr Sant asked if the 15-year threshold could be reduced, say, to 12 years.

Dr Galea said he was basing himself on professional advice. This was, after all, an exceptional situation. He knew of no other profession where people were eligible for a warrant after serving for a set number of years.

Dr Sant said there had been cases in the nursing profession where past service had been recognised.

Replying to questions on kindergarten assistants, Dr Galea said they were being offered the opportunity of achieving diploma standard. No new assistants had been employed for some time. The upgrading process had already been started and Mcast was running a course in early childhood education. There were 380 kindergarten assistants, most of whom were still young. It was not advisable to start courses for a position in which there would be no vacancies for a number of years yet.

Dr Sant asked if the purpose of the upgrading was assimilation with the teaching profession. If that was so, he agreed.

Dr Galea said one had first to concentrate on getting kindergarten assistants to achieve a diploma, the ultimate aim being to move towards the BEduc in Early Childhood Education, but that would take time.