Updated: MUT welcomes the Budget measures
Evarist Bartolo reacts
(Adds Evarist Bartolo's reaction)
The council of the Malta Union of Teachers has welcomed an addition of €16 million in capital expenditure on education, announced in the Budget yesterday.
"Although the allocation for education is never enough, the total sum of €270 million shows government commitment to give absolute priority to this important sector, the backbone of the country," the union said.
The union also welcomed the governemnt spending on capital projects and measures to boost the economy. One now had to wait and see whether what was being promised would be implemented, the MUT said.
The union expressed concern over the planned rise in utility tariffs and said it hoped that a a maximum rate would be declared so as not to instil uncertainty.
Education shadow minister Evarist Bartolo said in a statement that Parliament last year approved a capital expenditure of more than 46 million euros in education. However, just over 19 million euros were spent.
Mr Bartolo said it did not make sense to approve a large sum to only spend half of it.
He noted that the expenditure for educational reforms was also being reduced. This, he said, did not make sense.