Teacher shortage expected to grow in coming years - MUT

One of the issues expected to be tackled at the Malta Union of Teachers general conference being held today is the teacher shortage, which is expected to get worse in the coming years as fewer students opt for teaching degree courses.

Union president John Bencini told a news conference yesterday that the number of students currently studying to become primary school teachers over the four years of the BEd (Hons) degree amounted to 130 against the usual 400. Of these, only nine are men. This means that only 35 to 36 will be graduating this year against the usual 100 to 110.

Those studying to become secondary school teachers total 390 over four years, instead of the usual 500. Although the numbers were not as drastic in this area, the biggest gap lay in the sciences, computer studies and information technology fields.

As a result of this shortage, a number of classes would not have professional teachers and the government would have to employ more supply teachers, Mr Bencini said.

While the problem would be mitigated by a decreasing birth rate, it was still a growing one. It was exacerbated because teachers who used to spend their whole life in the profession were now changing career paths after a number of years.

The shortage, however, is being felt throughout Europe. The EU, Mr Bencini said, has estimated it would require 1.5 million teachers in the next 10 years.

The government, he added, could not afford to keep telling teachers who were willing to teach for a number of hours each week that they could only work full-time or not at all.

The conference, which will include a keynote speech by Ronald A. Smith, a member of the general council of the Scottish Trades Union Congress and a teacher of home economics, has been themed Teacher Education - The European And Scottish Perspective".

It will include the election of the MUT council and officials. Thirty officials out of 40 nominees have to be elected, including the post of president which is being contested by Mr Bencini, the incumbent, and by Anthony Micallef Debono.