Teachers' strike going ahead - Ministry urges parents not to send children to school

L.Mifsud

May 1st 2009, 11:33

I wonder why teachers are always given such a hard time by our Government. It's useless to have good schools if our teachers are not respected and supported.

Much more should be done by Government to ensure that teachers are motivated, supported, well-paid and not abused.

I would challenged anybody to spend a whole day in a room full of unruly and spoilt children (as most children are nowadays) without having a decent pay and decent all-round respect.

I'm not a teacher: never have been, never will be but my support goes to the MUT.

v.pulis

Apr 30th 2009, 16:56

@Mary Ann Borg
Just some clarification to your comment. State school teachers 'enjoyed' a grand total of eight days Easter holidays one of which was a public holiday (Good Friday) and two days fell on a weekend. That means they actually had just five days off. You may consider staff meetings as a waste of time because parents have to take care of their children on that day. The one day strike cost the teachers one day's salary. if that's your idea of relaxation then you must be well off.

Stephen Spiteri

Apr 30th 2009, 09:26

L Galea - parent

Do not make us laugh ! If it is the school that 'makes or breaks' your kid's future, then one stands to wonder.......

C. Farrugia

Apr 30th 2009, 07:59

This is not a rise for salary plea! This strike is about bettering the conditions in schools and living up to promises. The reform stated that the goverment would employ more professional workers among other issues. The MUT wants better student services and these cannot be achieved unless there are better working conditions and yes that includes the pay. As for L Galea, 1 day will have no effect on your child's results, by now the teacher have covered all the syllabus and nothing new will be learnt. It is time that the governmnent starts acting on promises and stop focusing on elinating the general public by pretty smiles and flowery open days in front of the camera. And as for there being a discrepancy between state and other schools, the governmnet first priority is state schools the others are alternative choices not truely available to all.

Franco Farrugia

Apr 30th 2009, 07:40

@L. Galea - As a parent, you should have that little bit more respect towards your son's/daughter's teachers. 'More pressure or tension' just because of a teachers' one day strike? Sir, be honest: how many days of strike have teachers carried out ... these past .... 50 years??????? Did you say anything about the action taken by ambulance drivers? No? But then, THAT didn't affect you, did it? One only grumbles about things that affect one, I suppose. Tough! You speak about 'costs'. But every strike brings about 'costs' to people ... otherwise, what's the scope of a strike?
@ J Farrugia: The answer, is yes, indeed.
It would be great if people had to see what things are about before they start jumping to conclusions and condemn the profession which is criticised the most: teaching!

J.Borg

Apr 30th 2009, 07:37

@ L.Galea - parent
I think that by now students are more than well prepared for the coming exams.
So you are missing the boat if this strike puts pressure on your children.
But actions need to be taken.....

R. Caruana

Apr 30th 2009, 06:45

So who will gain and who will lose with this strike?

Certainly the children will lose out; as to who is to gain....?

Thomas Lee

Apr 30th 2009, 01:08

I think the MUT has every right to strike as there have been many parts of agreements that haven't been implemented. As regards the pay rise, I don't think should be as much as they're asking, but just in any negotiation, they ask an inflated amount and end up negotiating something less but still substantial.

I would have expected the MUT to do the strike with exceptions. The exceptions would be for those classes which are sitting for important exams such as Junior Lyceum. While exams such as year 3 and year 4 are important, one has to understand that year 6 is vital for a child's future. Students tend to intensify their studies on the eve of examinations and the missing day's work just days before these crucial exams is not fair for these students.

Strike... but make a small exception for these students!

Mary Ann Borg

Apr 30th 2009, 01:06

Well done MUT. Go ahead and get all the teachers out on strike. After all they must all be tired after coming back from a 2-week break for the Easter period and then some of them didn't even start classes on Monday because most schools held a 'staff meeting' on their first day of work. And yes, keep your school children at home while the teachers sit back and relax on a nice long, long weekend. They latter will not be attacked by thugs anyway. The party that harboured thugs that attacked teachers in the 70's and 80's will be 'celebrating' workers' day. The late Furtu Selvatico, teachers, lock-out doctors etc were not considered as workers then, but enemies of the country (party).

G.Schembri

Apr 30th 2009, 00:40

@ J Farruggia Children with hayfever or who have single parents are not considered special educational needs. Those with Dyslexia are not provided with an LSA ( facilitator). Some get help from SpLD in Floriana the rest are helped by the classroom teacher or the complementary education teacher. A child needs to have more sever learning difficulties or physical needs to be assigned an LSA.
@ L.Galea "Streneous exams on Monday?" I hope you are joking, if you call the JL exams "Streneous" what will you be saying when your children sit for their O and A level exams?
One day will not make any difference, if children do not feel prepared for the JL exams by now they might as well not sit for them at all. They should have done their studying during the 6 previous years and not on the eve of the examination.
Teachers do care about their students and they know that tomorrow will make no difference for the JL exams. Let me assure you that MUT has taken everything into consideration. After all teachers want their students to pass all exams.

J. Scerri

Apr 29th 2009, 23:39

How can people be so selfish !! Everyone here in Malta has the RIGHT to STRIKE but when it comes to TEACHERS or other Sensitive professions then everyone is a victim of them.
I bet that in this blog (in a couple of days time) we'll see people who will make such a fuss & be very worried that cause of this 1 DAY OF STRIKE, their children will fail the exams. So what their children hasn't learned in the past 7 months, they were going to learn it in this particular day ?? Since this is going to be the last day before the exams, they can always do the revision at home or no ?

One last thing, So when the MUT should have done the strike, on a WEEKEND ? Or in the Xmas Holidays ? As long as I know, when someone goes on strike, he will do that when he'll be more busy & his work is more crucial !! Just to make it clear, I'm not a teacher.


When the Maltese are going to learn to be objective in their arguments !!

LGalea

Apr 29th 2009, 23:28

L Galea
You should be ashamed for trying to deny the right for teachers to strike.
Would you not strike if the government was riding roughshod over you and your rights?
Do your children study in the few days before the exam or during the whole scholastic year as they should?
Do you think that a one day strike is going to make that difference to your children?
If you think it does you have a very low opinion of your children L Galea

Vincent Buttigieg

Apr 29th 2009, 23:18

While we are at it why don't we employ foreign teachers so that our local ones can stay at home and get their paycheque as well. Maybe they could indulge in some private lessons to while away the time as well!

That is the mentality in Malta unfortunately. Not only teachers but practically all employees in Government and parastatal service are there to be paid and not to render a service!

Ruben Baldacchino

Apr 29th 2009, 22:57

It seems a lot of parents are only thinking about their child.
1. First of all, the teacher will not change anything from what your child knows in one day.
2. An extra day in holidays will only help the child to study more, thus would work in his favour - if he's preparing for the exam.

It seems that you're more concerned that your child will spend a day with you as a burden rather then seeing in a positive way, that is having time to spend with your loved ones. Sometimes I think these arguments brought by some people have a hidden agenda and not truly the child's interest.

From the teacher's side - They are not fighting just for a pay rise, but also for the reform to actually take place and the government has to do his part. In a year and a half the teachers' workload have increased yet very few was invested in the teacher to help him achieve his aim - that is for ALL CHILDREN TO SUCCEED! The teachers' do more than they are required throughout the year voluntarily but apparently it's not enough.

joe camenzuli

Apr 29th 2009, 22:48

I hope the ministry of education deduct a days leave from the teachers annual leave for those going on strike. They have more days off then any other profession.

Stephen Farrugia

Apr 29th 2009, 22:44

In the long run, this strike won't do anything, but give the students a day off...but please, KNOW THIS...the hundreds of questions that the students will have due to the union's stupidity., will never be answered, so thank you very much union.

Alfred Farrugia

Apr 29th 2009, 22:14

Is a collective agreement not supposed to cover a certain period of time? Why did the MUT not include its “addendum” before it signed the agreement in 2007? Cannot the MUT wait for the next round of negotiations?

Why does the MUT expect to have the cake and eat it too?

Does the MUT remember when it negotiated the end of the graduate scale for secondary school teachers?

Why cannot teachers realize that their union is using them as pawns? How can the MUT explain its gimmicks of pretending to appease the present administration for political purposes, and then goes to extreme measures at the expense of the students at various levels?

In the past, the MUT used to get an indication of what was on offer and then claim that it had worked for such improvement. Apparently that time is now over, or the official side is no longer made up of former MUT members!

When is the MUT going to decide whether it wants to be a professional association of teachers, or a militant union which does not care less about teachers and students to justify its existence?

A Abela

Apr 29th 2009, 22:08

My complement to MUT. We have to stand up to the government.

Marylyn Mifsud

Apr 29th 2009, 22:07

WHY???? The teaching profession seems to be considered a second class profession by some. First of all, the general public does not know WHY the teachers are striking. There are many reasons that never seem to be mentioned: first of all the lack of social workers and psychologists- only 3 for all Malta. Most issues agreed upon in the NMC- the National Minimum Curriculum agreed upon back in 2000 are still on paper only. Tha addendum of 2007 which included various issues including Teacher's Monitor in schools, special institutes for problematic students, further teacher support amongst others was never honoured. Is this the RESPECT teachers get? And for those who seem to worry for the ONE-DAY strike SHOULD worry for the sake and benefit of their children, that this agreement takes place!!!!

J Farrugia

Apr 29th 2009, 21:34

I am glad that I .Vella stressed the point on the reason of the strike. I was'nt aware either and went assuming it was just a pay-rise demand. Thanks for all the teachers who are also supporting the Education system reform. What about the facilitators for children with special learning needs like dyslexia and other similar conditions ( not hayfever or single parents, although thay seem to be in the same category with special needs) . Have they been provided adequatly ?

L Galea - parent

Apr 29th 2009, 21:31

My compliments to MUT for the strike action in respect of their claim (which I have no doubt have every right to do so) Thus putting our children under more pressure and tension on the eve of such strenuous exams which start on Monday. This was a very irresponsible action not towards the government but at the detriment of our children who tomorrow should be sitting at their desks receiving more support from their teachers. Prosit eh!!!! Hope MUT achieves its goals AGAIN at the cost of our children. I wonder if anyone in the MUT council has children sitting for these exams!!!!!!

K Aquilina

Apr 29th 2009, 21:29

I cannot understand how the press is emhasising that the union wants just a rise in pay. What about the other pending issues ? How is the government "committed to further support" the teachers if only a small percentage of the agreement has been implemented so far?

C. Psaila

Apr 29th 2009, 21:23

It seems the Ministry is already resigned that the strike directive will be obeyed by nearly all teachers! How could it expect the Union to withdraw the strike if talks started at 5pm?

I Vella

Apr 29th 2009, 20:56

This strike is not just about a pay rise!!! It is also about support services (social workers, psychologists etc.) which have been promised but never fulfilled. Nobody seems to be mentioning this. The much publicized educational reforms will definitely fail if such services are not provided, so I cannot understand why the ministry is being so miserly in this respect.