Teachers' union sees 'lack of progress' on agreed measures

The teachers' union has harshly criticised what they say is lack of progress on implementing the collective agreement it signed with the government almost three years ago.

A number of schools were still without heads and assistant heads while certain colleges lacked a prefect of discipline which created an intolerable situation, union president John Bencini said.

He was speaking at a press conference in which the union reviewed the first term of the current scholastic term.

Mr Bencini said the government had even failed to issue an internal call for applications for mentor teachers who would guide teachers fresh out of university.

The union called for an evaluation of the college system, saying it was high time it was done. The evaluation was promised after the pilot project was over but was never carried out, Mr Bencini said.

Signed in 2007, the collective agreement was described by both Education Minister and Mr Bencini as "historic". But, he said, the agreement would only be historic if it was fully implemented.

"Almost three years have passed since the collective agreement was signed and yet none of these things have been done," he said.

The union also threatened to withdraw from a council that makes recommendations on warrants for certain teaching staff because it no longer had any confidence in its chairman's leadership.

The council's role is to give the Education Ministry recommendations on people who teach without university qualification but who have been on the job for 15 years.

However, Mr Bencini said there were more than 10 teachers, with all the required qualifications, who had not received a warrant.

"The council, which is chaired by lawyer Edward Debono, isn't fulfilling its duty and keeping to the principles for which it was set up," he said.

The courts overturned one such disputed decision by the Teaching Profession Council in a case which was fought by the MUT. However, the teacher in question was still waiting for a warrant despite the fact that the decision was delivered in October.

Dr Debono, however, said the application for this particular warrant was approved yesterday, together with all the other similar applications, during the council's monthly meeting.

"We had our reservations about the judgment but we will abide by the court's decision," he said.

This year around 200 warrants were granted by the ministry, another 20 are pending the ministry's approval and, yesterday, the council recommended another 20, Dr Debono said.