Permanent Committee for Education holds first meeting

The Permanent Committee for Education, set up to oversee the overhaul in education, held its first meeting yesterday, four days after the reform was endorsed by the government and the teachers' union.

In the words of Education Minister Louis Galea, who presided over the meeting, the reform measures listed were being implemented systematically.

A day after the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) called on the government to implement the agreement on the reform signed on Tuesday, Dr Galea said a call for two director generals, who will head the Quality and Standards Directorate and the Education Services Directorate, was published in the Government Gazette yesterday. The directorates will take on the roles so far played by the Education Division. A call for applications for assistant heads of school was also published and the first call for applications for learning support assistants will start being processed next week.

The Education Department is drafting calls for directors, college principals, assistant directors, education officials, heads of school, college prefects of discipline, administrators and precincts officers, trainee counsellors, trainee guidance officers and other posts.

Newly-employed teachers would, for the first time, undergo induction courses, the minister said.

An autonomous council for the teaching profession should be set up and will be responsible for issuing warrants and ensure the upkeep of standards and ethics. In October, teachers will be asked to vote for four of their peers with at least eight years experience to represent them on the council. Dr Galea said the government was investing millions of liri in the reform, which showed it was fully committed to implement it.

MUT president John Bencini said on Thursday the government should have new staff in place before the start of the scholastic year.

Asked if Mr Bencini's request was realistic considering that calls for application were still being issued, Dr Galea said the Education Ministry had been in a position to sign the agreement before it was actually signed.

"We are doing our best to employ people as early as possible. However, there are public service rules and procedures that have to be respected for fairness and transparency's sake.

"Still, we do not need prodding from any union to get down to work," Dr Galea said.