UPDATE: Ministry working with Naxxar school after attacks on teachers

Adds new comments by MUT president John Bencini

The Education Ministry said this afternoon that it condemned and did not tolerate any violence against teachers, and it was currently working with Naxxar Boys’ Secondary to stamp out tensions which have developed there.

The ministry was replying to a statement issued earlier today by the Malta Union of Teachers, which called for a tough line from the ministry against violence. The union referred in particular to a number of cases at the Naxxar school (see separate story in the news section).

The ministry said it had been following developments at the Naxxar school for the past few weeks and it was working with the school to address tensions that had developed.

The College Principal had been holding meetings with the head of school, teachers and students in order to draw up an action plan so that the school environment could be calm and beneficial to teachers and students.

However no violence could ever be tolerated, and the ministry had informed the police commissioner about the person who allegedly attacked a teacher. Legal action would be taken.

The ministry said that in the few cases where students were involved in unacceptable behaviour against teachers, procedures were launched according to the Policy on School Behaviour. It would have been a mistake had such a policy been published but not implemented, the ministry said.

An agreement between the government and the MUIT, signed last July, provides for the appointment of Prefects . The prefect is working in Naxxar so that this could could be given the required support for education to be provided in a calm environment

MUT president John Bencini in new comments this afternoon warned that at the first new major incident involving violence on teachers, the MUT was prepared to order teachers to strike for an hour, as was done in previous cases.

He said that while the main problems were currently at Naxxar boys' secondary, the issue was quite widespread and could be a reason why teachers were leaving the profession.