The teachers’ union turned down an invitation to discuss a circular asking school heads to report teachers resisting a new strategy on literacy, the Education Ministry said.

The invitation was made earlier this week by the Education Services Director General but the Malta Union of Teachers turned it down, the ministry said.

The union registered an industrial dispute on Wednesday, claiming the circular was an affront and an insult to teachers’ intelligence.

It asked the authorities to withdraw the circular issued in primary schools instructing principals to “confidentially report” teachers who resisted the new strategy so these could be given “support”.

Saying the union refused to meet because it wanted the circular withdrawn, the ministry said it was always open for discussion and was convinced a solution could be found through dialogue.