College principal objects to union's 'harsh' tone

The principal of a college where a five-year-old injured his teacher's eye with a crayon, said the harsh tone used by the teachers' union in this case was uncalled for.

St Theresa College principal Francis Fabri commented in particular on the Malta Union of Teachers' use of the word "attacked" when it described the incident which left the teacher in pain and with blurred vision from one eye.

The young teacher was struck in the eye with a crayon by a boy at Birkirkara's state primary school last Monday. But although in a statement it issued four days after the incident the union said the pupil had "attacked" his teacher, president John Bencini later told The Times that the details surrounding the incident were unclear and he was not sure whether it was intentional or not.

The union has directed the teacher not to accept the boy in class until it is established whether he needs a facilitator.

However, Mr Fabri pointed out that the case involves a mere boy. He explained that the incident happened when all the children were drawing and action was immediately taken by the head of school, who asked a psychologist to observe the child and draft a report.

Mr Fabri said he supported the teacher too and allowed her to exercise all her rights.

In a similar vein, a spokesman for the Education Ministry had said on Friday that "by no stretch of the imagination" could this be considered as a violent incident.