Education budgetary cuts worry teachers

The Malta Union of Teachers has written to Education Minister Dolores Cristina calling on her to reverse the decision to cut thesector’s budget by more than€7 million.

It said the decision contrasted with the minister’s declarations in January that funds for education would not be touched and were ring-fenced.

“Considering that education is addressing the one and only resource of this country, human resources, the MUT believes these proposed cuts are detrimental not only to professionals in the education field but also to the country and its future. “Reflecting the position of the European Trade Union Confederation, of which we are members through Forum, the decisions by European governments to introduce austerity measures... are not only hampering economic growth and investment but are dragging downward even further the social and personal situations of millions of workers around Europe,” it said.

The union said austerity measures in the educational field were “even more alarming”, especially because they would affect institutions like the University, the Institute of Tourism Studies and the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology as well as programmes for vulnerable children.