Guidelines on irregular Church school entries

Opposition spokesman on education Evarist Bartolo has praised the Church secretariat for Catholic education for committing itself to cooperate with the civil authorities in cases of irregular admission of children to Church schools.

Speaking in Parliament, Mr Bartolo said that through this commitment the Church was showing it was not above the law.

These guidelines, which have been communicated to the heads of Church schools, say that all allegations, except those made anonymously, would be thoroughly investigated. An investigator might be nominated to collect information.

These procedures apply from this scholastic year. In cases of proven abuses, children who had not started school would not be admitted. Where a student would have already been admitted, the child remains in the school but brothers or sisters would lose all benefits enjoyed by regularly-admitted children.

If the perpetrator is a member of a religious order, he or she would be reported to his superiors. If the doer is a civilian, he or she would be reported to the school and risk being sacked.

Mr Bartolo said he felt parents should be made aware of these procedures.