Employers seek tax cuts for middle-income families, longer school hours
The Malta Employers Association in Budget proposals today called for income tax cuts for middle-income families with children, and extended school hours 'to cater for working parents with children in primary and secondary schools'.
The MEA said the budget’s major focus should be fiscal consolidation.
"Government has to find ways to reduce expenditure to approach a balanced budget," it said.
Incentives were also needed to encourage more people to work and to encourage mobility.
"Depending on the impact on tax revenue, income tax incentives similar to the ones introduced last year for married couples should be introduced to increase disposable income of families with children earning a medium income," the association said.
Maternity Leave 'should be paid by the state'
On maternity leave, the MEA suggested that payment for all maternity leave should be a state responsibility, with the transition being made over a number of years. Malta, it said, was one of a few countries where employers paid for maternity leave, and this was also creating a disadvantage for women seeking employment.
It said there should be wider dissemination of information about schemes for micro-enterprises. Many small businesses were not aware of the incentives available.
Extension of school opening hours
The MEA said school hours should be extended to cater for working parents with children in primary and secondary schools.
It also argued that childcare should be made affordable to encourage stronger female participation. Government should increase the current incentives to families wanting to avail themselves of child care facilities.
In comments on business in with Libya, the employers' association said there should be a concerted effort between the government and the social partners to establish contacts in Libya. The recent announcement of a campus by MCAST in Misurata was a step in the right direction which needed to be followed up by other initiatives which could be coordinated by Malta Enterprise and the Embassy in Libya.
"Although the political situation is still unstable, Malta still stands to gain from laying the groundwork for economic cooperation between the two countries. Government should allocate the necessary resources to enable such contacts to be established."
The MEA also proposed 'green incentives' for the installation of photovoltaic technology by households and businesses.
Popular Stories
Old buses, drivers to return
Former Judge Ray Pace found dead
Updated: Minister apologises for...
Three new Nationalist MPs elected –...
Where’s Everybody staff is given notice
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Update 4 - Eddie Fenech Adami stable...
Update 3 - Woman trapped as car crashes...
Revealed...the face of a Maltese woman...
In Discussion
Old buses, drivers to return
Updated: Minister apologises for...
PL reacts as PN labels Franco Debono's...
Updated - Director of Prisons submits...
Enemalta seeking minimum five year gas...
Protected birds shot and trapped as...
Mario de Marco, Zammit Dimech concede,...
PN postpones salaries as financial...
Updated - PM's offer to Opposition MPs...
136 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Angelo Vassallo
Oct 11th 2012, 11:42
@ Joseph Brincat
"YOU HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE , BUT RIGHT NOW GONZI PN IS IN POWER"
Mela marritlkom l-ghaggla biex taraw lil "dear leader" joseph muscat isir l-izghar prim ministru ta' Malta?
Hallina GUZEPP!!!!!!!
A. Xuereb
Oct 11th 2012, 08:44
The extra two hours at school can be used for activities such as drama,art or sports. This is already happening in some schools ( church and independent) that are offering a different activity every day for their students .
Anthony Camilleri
Oct 11th 2012, 08:14
Jaf jew ma jafx il-gvern li dawk il-haddiema li jdahhlu sa 28,000 ewro ghandhom taxxa ta 25 fil mija, jigifieri minn kull sena 3 xhur paga jmurro ghall gvern. Mill-istess paga aktar minn xahar paga tmur ghall bolla. Mela minn sena 4 xhur jehodhom il-gvern. milli jibqa' jekk tfaddolhom jerga jiehu 18 fil mija fuq l-imghax u jekk tonfoqhom 18 fil mija VAT.
Anthony Paul Naudi
Oct 11th 2012, 07:01
Nahseb li mizura li ghandha tittiehed hija li l-penzjonanti jigu ezentati mit-taxxa fuq il-penzjoni imma ghanda tithallas it-taxxa fuq kull dhul iehor li jkollhom. Hekk isir f'pajjizi ohra.
A.P.NAUDI
A Said
Oct 10th 2012, 23:49
The MEA is once again ignoring the children's need and prioritising the economy. Either we're going to invest in our children or else, we keep on doing the impossible so that, certain employers will keep on getting richer whatever how much the students will suffer. The MEA should conduct a survey and see how much, the children would like to spend 2 more hours everyday at school.
C. Muscat
Oct 11th 2012, 08:30
I don't think the children will have any problem if the extra 2hours substitute the hours spent doing homework. The French President Hollande is going to increase school hours and abolish homework to give all the children the same possibilities, as it is not fair that children who do not have home help rarely manage to continue their studies.
A. Mifsud
Oct 10th 2012, 23:34
Regretfully this legislation is nearing its end and the middle class are still being taxed at 35%, despite the many promises.
Rather than putting in efforts to incentivate the working class, the state opts to wipe off a third of their earnings!
Same applies to parents whose children attend church schools, they pay school and transport fees - yet are not eligible for any tax credits!
Naomi Attard Borg
Oct 10th 2012, 22:23
@ m farrugia
Primary State Schools finish at 2 or 2.30 max, hence the only option for my son was to attend private school, which offers the possibility of paying for extended hours till 3, so I can pick him up. This means that I foot the bill much more than you do (your comment indicated that your children attend church schools which cost much much less than private schools.
Naomi Attard Borg
Oct 10th 2012, 22:20
@ m farrugia.
Well, first of all i teach in a state school from 8.30 till 3, so between 1.30 - 3 I will be delivering lesson,hence, not able to correct or prepare lessons (your comment that teachers can stay correcting at school till 3 is not applicable).
Joseph Camilleri
Oct 10th 2012, 22:20
As usual there is a lot of poison spitting on to teachers.
Teachers are now to be used as baby sitters. How cool of the mea!!!!
What else do they seek? to employ with the meanest wage as they already do? Teachers are already in a situation where they cant cope with the enormous pressures they are undergoing. Now all levels are mixed and it is very difficult.
C. Muscat
Oct 11th 2012, 08:41
I agree on extending school hours, only if it means more teaching time and less or no homework. It will ease pressure on children and teachers alike. Most teachers iterate that their working week is longer than 27.5hrs due to the amount of time spent on correcting homework, so really the extra hours spent in school would compensate for extra work at home for both teachers and students.
Maria Agius
Oct 11th 2012, 14:58
@ c muscat. If children do their work at school instead of as homework, it still has to be corrected, so your argument is void. Moreover, extra time in school with students will mean even more hours to prepare for and therefore even more preparations to be done when the students finish classes. Please stop talking about teaching because you have no idea what it entails.
C. Muscat
Oct 12th 2012, 08:50
@Ms Agius If my memory serves me right, my teachers did not sit and stare while we kids did our work, she used to explain and go round helping children with their difficulties and check the work as it goes along. If extra hours aren't the solution then perhaps we should agree on less holidays? The truth is staring at us in the face. There isn't enough school time to cover the curriculum.
mariella mifsud
Oct 10th 2012, 21:59
We should try to ask school children if they want longer school hours. Maybe then, in turn, they would ask for shorter working hours from their parents, and be happier with less commodities. There are cases where this is not easy to do, but there are also cases where this can be done.
Mary Borg
Oct 10th 2012, 21:49
Some parents are really pathetic. I'm sure that all those who despise teachers and speak so vehemently against them are the ones who raise arrogant spiteful kids without respect towards authority. Those who truly have their kids' education and well-being at heart teach them to respect all adults who work with them. Luckily enough, most teachers teach those values that sometimes are trashed at home
S Falzon
Oct 10th 2012, 21:35
Why don't the MEA suggest that private enterprises start to consider the introduction of working on reduced hours or working from home?
N. Agius
Oct 10th 2012, 21:23
It is 9 in the evening and I am still correcting and preparing lessons for the coming days. I do not give any private lessons. Sometimes my wife accuses me that I don't dedicate enough time to our little daughter! I just stopped to have a cup of tea and read some news.. now back to my corrections!
Joanne Bugeja
Oct 10th 2012, 21:00
@ m farrugia
please be informed that teachers don't just correct at home. They write detailed differentiated lesson plans, create powerpoint presentations, interactive whiteboard resources, print and laminate pictures and flashcards, write evaluations on lesson and do a lot of research. i suggest you take a B Ed course if you think it s such a cushy job
Naomi Attard Borg
Oct 10th 2012, 22:25
Very well said!
Amanda Scott
Oct 11th 2012, 07:26
Ms. Bugeja. I am sure teachers do work and have their piece of the cake to chew too but I am also pretty sure that they have plenty of time and space to dedicate for some extra hours during the week. You don't have to see this from the point of view of a teacher having to stay once / twice a week a little bit extra but you need to consider that other careers don't offer so much options (cont...)
Amanda Scott
Oct 11th 2012, 07:32
(cont...) to parents to be able to pick up children in time or be home in time. Most of industries requires that you work 9 - 10 hrs daily rather than 8hrs & it's causing difficulties with a lot of issues and somehow the need of parents and children need to be accommodated. I would argue more about the childcare centers government is saying that have opened for such situation....
C. Muscat
Oct 11th 2012, 09:45
The lesson plans and tools such as power presentations should be done in the summer recess. Teachers should be well prepared to teach a class before the scholastic year starts. Holidays should be for children not teachers. Teachers get paid for a full time job, ie. 40 hours and 24 days leave If i'm not mistaken, if they're on scale 6 they get paid in full like all civil servants.
M Magro
Oct 10th 2012, 20:59
@ M Farrugia
You should join the teaching profession.
Victor Pulis
Oct 10th 2012, 20:58
I suggest that schools are kept open and people are employed to look after the children. Perhaps their own parents. That way the children are kept in school and the parents are working and earning a wage!! everybody happy!
C. Muscat
Oct 11th 2012, 08:47
Lol! I guess you're not the one who goes home at 3pm and stay with the kids doing homework and studying and finding pictures, printing and laminating and preparing school bags and requirements for the projects, leaving little time to enjoy time with the kids...my kids and I usually get to chat about our day at 9pm in the evening when we're not exhausted (which is rare)!(contd...)
C. Muscat
Oct 11th 2012, 08:51
(contd....) ma nafx parents ohra pero' jien inkun qisni bojja mat-tfal ...tghidx kemm naqbad nghajjat malli jazzardaw ipacpcu u jahlu l-hin waqt li nkunu ghaddejin bill-homework.....msieken...but i can't help it ...nipprova li jlestu qabel nigru l-barra ghall-muzew u l-extra curricular...hin ta' xejn.
Mr leo attard
Oct 11th 2012, 21:11
@C Muscat! Welcome to the world! that's what's having a family is all about. At least you can scream at your children for being out of line , but teachers who often have abusive, arrogant students can't risk raising their voice or they'll be scolded by protective parents for a'busing their little ones! you claim to lose your temper with your own few children, then picture a teacher with 150 kid
mark borg
Oct 10th 2012, 20:33
l-aqwa li bil mobile u ipod......u it tfal trabijhom in nanna !
Mary Pace
Oct 10th 2012, 21:28
Ezatt!
C Debono
Oct 10th 2012, 21:46
What a stupid comment! Like a mobile is worth as much as the mother's salary. AND it's not like many parents have a choice!
mark borg
Oct 10th 2012, 20:21
u iva, skont gonzipn sa erba xhur ohra jkun Joe Muscat prim ministru u malta kollha tkun bla xghol,allura ma hemmx ghalfejn l-iskejjel jibqu miftuhin ghax l-ommijiet kollha bla xghol se jkunu.u skont huma anke taxxa zgur ma tingabarx la kulhadd bla xghol allura irelevanti kull bidla fir rata.
Mr leo attard
Oct 10th 2012, 20:07
the reason for extending school hours says it all ---- not because the students need the extra time but to babysit the children whie parents are working (or whatever!). And what about the parental needs of teachers with children who are not yet going to school?.... People who make such proposals are narrow-sighted -- solving problems of one group by creating problems for others. not fair
C. Muscat
Oct 11th 2012, 11:50
mhux jiehdu career break sakemm jibdew imorru l-iskola t-tfal like the rest of us! jew jehduhom go childcare centre. Tajjeb, biex tinqeda teacher nhallu sistema edukkativa fejn t-tfal mhux kapaci jkompli l-iskola jekk mhux tfal ta' professjonisti jew jekk ma jmorrux privat (ghand l-istess teacher li tkun ghalmithom filghodu)
Mr leo attard
Oct 11th 2012, 20:55
@c muscat -- you are raving! first, not all take a career break, and most for only a short period. so if they have a 1 year-old these teachers have to find someone to care for their children until school-age. perhaps children aren't continuing their education because of the home environment. all i know is that the govt brags at the high numbe rof students going on to university. get things straigh
j brincat
Oct 10th 2012, 20:07
Tax cuts should come across the board irrespective of class!
In any case GonziPN solemnly promised to reduce the tax from 35% to 25% (aimed to lure the middle class) BUT did absolutely nothing!
(jb)
C. Muscat
Oct 11th 2012, 08:52
Yep...i voted pn...waqajt ghas-sunnara last election!
David Farrugia
Oct 10th 2012, 19:30
useless discussion
Mark Spiteri
Oct 10th 2012, 19:18
"The MEA said school hours should be extended to cater for working parents with children in primary and secondary schools." Who do the MEA represent ? And who are they are trying to impress ? Is this the best they can come out with for the 2012 budget ? Its a pity that the spokesman is never mentioned in cases like this, but please if you want to be taken seriously - come out with a better plan..
Joseph Micallef
Oct 10th 2012, 19:12
Come on GonziPN, whom are you trying to fool? You know what your polls are saying, so why will you presenting an illusionary budget if you already know that it can't be implemented? Why are you being irresponsible till the end? By any chance, are you thinking that another government (fingers crossed it would be PL) will be hand tight to implement your budget? Listen to Franco, and call elections!!
X Borg
Oct 10th 2012, 18:45
What have we turned ourselves into.
We wake up at 6am (or earlier) fight our way to work, work efficiently the whole day (more work less people), get home at 6pm and what's left ?. We continually struggle to make ends meet and we are now expected to work till we die.
What have we turned ourselves into.
martin said
Oct 10th 2012, 18:55
Very valid comment. Yes, INDEED.
Robert Agius
Oct 10th 2012, 19:59
And some people call it 'progress'. I guess it is true what they say, the things that you own end up owning you.
R. Cilia
Oct 10th 2012, 20:15
Very true. Progress does not always mean that things get better.
cesco di luigi
Oct 10th 2012, 18:43
Employers and private enterprise should reconsider their mantra of the last years of encouraging more women to go out to work. I have nothing against woman going out to work at all. But when are we going to open our eyes and realise that when both spouses work the employers can actually lower the wages because the spending power is now based on two earners not only on one? Society has been duped.
cesco di luigi
Oct 10th 2012, 18:39
...should be paid by the State" they said. Excuse me, are these the same people who have bombarded us constantly with their " we cannot expect everything free from the Government"? Maybe they should add "unless its for the buinessman".
Joanna Cassar
Oct 10th 2012, 18:35
Teachers are working parents too....... educators are not child minders..... and schools are not babysitting centres
Marco Meli
Oct 10th 2012, 18:48
well said ms cassar!
J Cauchi
Oct 10th 2012, 19:18
Very well said Joanna
m farrugia
Oct 10th 2012, 19:25
sure but who works 27 hours a week and gets at least 75 days holidays a year as is the case with most church schools
and we parents foot the bill- we have to work reduced hours at a lower pay to be able to pick up our children and we have to pay for summer schools the cost of which can go up to 400 euros per child whilst teachers spend their summers at the beach receiving their full pay.
m farrugia
Oct 10th 2012, 19:28
and please no excuses such as that teachers spend their evening correcting, if this is the case, they can just do it at school. let's say between 130pm and 3pm. at least when they go home they can dedicate all their time to their family like other working parents.
R Fenech
Oct 10th 2012, 19:42
Excellent choice of words!!
George Joseph Cauchi
Oct 10th 2012, 20:02
You are absolutely right but the business community doesn't care except to make more profits.
Mr leo attard
Oct 10th 2012, 20:14
@m farrugia .... it is not just correcting. there are other things that teachers do in the comfort of their home that is work-related. who are you to dictate the time a teacher should correct. I know teachers that get parents from the village who knock on the teacher's door to ask things related to their child; i know teachers who get phone calls from parents at inconvenient hours.
Mr leo attard
Oct 10th 2012, 20:18
@mfarrugia--- so please dont write about things that you dont personally have experience of. you are just assuming. another thing -- teachers also pay taxes, maybe more than you do, so TEACHERS FOOT THE BILL TOO! stop treating teachers as if they were a class of social parasites! you wouldn't be blogging your complaints if a teacher hadn't taught you !!!!
Maria Agius
Oct 10th 2012, 21:12
m farrugia. Are you proposing that teachers stay on at school working on their planning and corrections at the same time as babysitting a class of children whose parents are still at work? Have you ever tried to concentrate on your work while supervising a couple of children? Six of them? twenty or more? You really don't know what you are saying.
Mary Borg
Oct 10th 2012, 21:38
@ m. farrugia: nobody obliges you to send your kids to a church school and foot a bill. send them to a state school where kids definitely don't get back home at 1.30 pm.
Joseph Camilleri
Oct 10th 2012, 22:17
Prosit Joanna Cassar
Teachers are very hard working people.
Emmanuel Curmi
Oct 11th 2012, 08:08
@M.Farrugia so why don't you become a teacher? I am not a teacher. My wife is..and I can assure you that not even if my pay would be quadrupled I would even think about becoming one. You and your like always mention the holidays, the "short" working week & so on. But what you forget to mention is that a teacher has to do, apart corrections, the lesson plans; has to endure 25/30 students daily...
Emmanuel Curmi
Oct 11th 2012, 08:12
@M.Farrugia...All the students are coming (especially nowadays) from different social backgrounds, for which one has to cater for. A teacher can't, like you do, take holidays whenever you wish. It's not an excuse that they have 75 days or so of holidays..These are well deserved, for a profession which in Malta maybe is not exploited..but for sure they are underpaid!
Emmanuel Curmi
Oct 11th 2012, 08:19
@M. Farrugia. & as regards your (and MEA's) desire for longer school hours, it's just a wish for a free baby-sitting session so that you can proceed working unhindered till 5pm. As if teachers are child-minders. and as if the school is a child care centre! You chose not to become a teacher, just as I did, & so you knew what your work consisted of. It's your responsability to see to your child.
C. Muscat
Oct 11th 2012, 09:06
@Mr. Curmi.I don't take time off whenever I want. there are the summer & winter shut-downs. The rest of the days are spent on parents' days, sports' days, children sick days etc.I usually have 4days max.which i leave 4 emergencies,same as teachers. I have great respect for teachers and yes it is stressful trying to control 25 (not 30) students and I also agree that they are underpaid as all civil servants.
Mr leo attard
Oct 11th 2012, 21:03
@emmanuel curmi -- you are mistaken. they do not amount to 75 days. when you consider they mostly fall in summer when govt workers work half days, take away weekends, holidays, really they don't amount to more than 37. teachers with inservice courses can remain reporting for work up to july 15 and have to return to work around 18 sept
Michael Sciortino
Oct 10th 2012, 18:24
What are the people at the Malta Employers Association sniffing? They recommend lower income tax therefore less revenue for Government, an increase in expenditure on maternity leave, longer school hours (teachers need to be paid), more expenditure on child care facilities, more money to subsidise PV technology and exhort Gov to balance the budget!!!!!
Victor Pulis
Oct 10th 2012, 17:50
Couples have children so they need more money so they go out to work so they need someone to look after their children so they can go to work to support the children they casn't take care of!
Mr leo attard
Oct 10th 2012, 20:22
wow, Mr Pulis -- guess what? so do teachers have children and need someone to take care of them while they are at work. Budgets dont solve their problems-- they solve them themselves by getting relatives to care for their babies. teachers have debts to pay too; I haven't seen a teacher with a jaguar yet!
Mr leo attard
Oct 10th 2012, 20:26
mr pulis... i have just seen your comments further down. you seem to be contradicting yourself: yes or no to extended school hours?
B. Cachia
Oct 10th 2012, 17:46
How about the government actually keeping its word and implementing the promise which gave it victory in the last general election?
Paul@ Micallef
Oct 10th 2012, 17:42
The Malta Employers Association as always wants the Government and all the employees in the different categories to carry the financial burden so that they can reap more profits. If they want to be taken seriously they should refrain from doing such banal suggestions year after year.
Joseph Brincat
Oct 10th 2012, 17:37
GONZI PN , ALL THIS FUSS ABOUT THE BUDGET ???
The Budgets of the PN , they are all irrelevant for they all looked good ,
but after a week you will find out that all the negative , they were not
said in the Budget >> so we have been fooled a lot of times ,
BUT THIS TIME >>>GONZI PN , NO ONE IS GOING TO BELIEVE YOU
IN THIS BUDGET ESPECIALLY WHEN ELECTION IS NEARBY !!!
m farrugia
Oct 10th 2012, 19:32
have we been fooled by:
a full year tax free for working mothers
income tax reductions year after year
parents tax rate resulting in a further reduction in income tax
children's allowance which went up from nil to 350 euros per child in a matter of 3 years
yearly increase in tax incentive for parents who send their children to private schools & childcare centres??
Joe Fenech
Oct 10th 2012, 17:23
Maternity Leave 'should be paid by the state'
WHAT A JOKE !!!!
Malcolm Seychell
Oct 10th 2012, 17:27
Int bis serjeta jew? ghala ghandu jhallsu employer?
Mr Evan Camilleri
Oct 10th 2012, 18:29
The Joke is that the employer has to pay for it!
Joe Fenech
Oct 10th 2012, 22:17
Oh yes, because you are amongst those who think the government is a gold mine. Why should 'I' pay for someone who's on maternity leave? After all, when workers do unpaid extra time, or take work home they're making up for it.
George Mangion
Oct 10th 2012, 17:22
How about workplaces setting up their own child care centres and just like University, but for older children too ?
B. Cachia
Oct 10th 2012, 17:44
Because businesses are supposed to generate a profit, otherwise no one would be stupid enough to risk their money setting them up.
Paul Pulis
Oct 10th 2012, 17:11
Schools are educational institutions not child care centres.
Joe Fenech
Oct 10th 2012, 17:23
Unfortunately that's what schools have become especially in places like the UK.
Joanna Cassar
Oct 10th 2012, 18:34
well said Mr Pulis
David Mario Fenech
Oct 10th 2012, 17:04
@ R Fenech
Dalwaqt nispiccaw l-istudenti u l-ghalliema jorqdu fl-iskola wkoll!!!! Dawk li jikkunsidraw lil uliedhom bhala xkiel, ahjar ma jgib xejn tfal fid-dinja milli jigu b'dawn il-kummiedji ta' proposti!!!!
Mary Pace
Oct 10th 2012, 17:12
Umbaghad iridu jaghmlu l-IVF!
R Fenech
Oct 10th 2012, 19:44
Well said!
A Cachia
Oct 10th 2012, 16:59
What about Middle Income workers without the Children?
Why are single people sucked dry with taxes?
The tax bracket should be reduced for all middle income workers, if you leave an extra cent to these people at least they can spend it somewhere else and taxed the VAT!
35% tax....then if anything else remains you tax me again....
Cheers!
Victor Pulis
Oct 10th 2012, 16:54
I propose that schools are equipped with beds and baby cots. that way children can sleep over when their parents are on night shift!.. they must bring their own pyjamas!
Angelo Vassallo
Oct 10th 2012, 16:53
@ Joseph Brincat
The Malta Employers Association in Budget proposals today to gonzi pn, for gonzi pn is going to do this Budget if he makes it ??? not joseph muscat !!
If GONZIPN does not make it to the budget, it will be joseph muscat who is expected to make it. Than what on earth will happen to the MEA's proposals???????
Joseph Brincat
Oct 10th 2012, 17:22
Angelo Vassallo
@ If GONZIPN does not make it to the budget, it will be joseph muscat who is expected to make it. Than what on earth will happen to the MEA's proposals???????
YOU HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE , BUT RIGHT NOW GONZI PN IS IN POWER !!!!
MC Attard
Oct 10th 2012, 16:43
I can't understand how extended school hours mean babysitting for a couple of people here! What's the big deal if teachers stay at their place of work till 5 like other workers, instead of going home, do other jobs and give private lessons which is normally undeclared!
Victor Pulis
Oct 10th 2012, 17:48
Because schools are places of education not child care centres that's why. if parents have a problem looking after their own children they should not dump their problem on teachers or any other worker whose job is not that of baby sitter.If the proposal for longer school hours was so that children are given more education it wouldn't sound so bad.But the reason is unacceptable
H. Meilak
Oct 10th 2012, 18:46
What about younger children in junior school who already wake up early, 6.00 or even earlier? Do you really expect them to stay at school up to 5? Do you realize it could be 12 whole hours from the time they wake up till the time they get home? Please use your head.
m farrugia
Oct 10th 2012, 19:34
schools are places of education and working parents should not be expected to cover have the syllabus at home in the form of homework so that teachers run off from school at 130pm and enjoy 75 days of holidays
Brimmer D
Oct 10th 2012, 20:30
@ H. Meilak
Very valid comment indeed...we are back to the time during the industrial revolution when children used to work 12 hours or more! It is heartbreaking to see children as young as five leave home at 6:30 to arrive at school at 8:00.
Brimmer D
Oct 10th 2012, 20:36
Mr Farrugia
I work in a state school and for your information I finish at 3:05! So please check your facts before you write! As for the holidays, I think that it's the only thing keeping teachers from leaving and choosing another career. The pay is definitely not the reason!
M Magro
Oct 10th 2012, 20:54
You should join the teachig profession.
mary borg
Oct 10th 2012, 16:42
And what is the role of parents? Just work and get paid so they can afford their children, but it doesn't matter if they don't have time for them! My generation was so lucky! I didn't have a mobile, laptop, ipad, tv in every room, playstation etc... but I used to find my mother at home waiting for me - that was luxury!
Daniela Attard
Oct 10th 2012, 17:12
so true... when I was young my Mum was always home.. now Ive moved back in with her and I come home to find her at work.... it saddens me and Im 28! let alone young children!
C. Muscat
Oct 11th 2012, 09:55
My kids are not dumped on anyone. They find me behind the school door waiting for them! But in winter I DON'T have time for them as the time is spent assisting them in their homework,rushing them to muzew, sports...I have a different idea of quality time: time spent playing a board game together, time chatting about our day and listening to their troubles/joys during their school day.
M Borg
Oct 10th 2012, 16:42
And what about all the other families,where children have now moved out? What about pensioners ? Are not many of these also middle-income families.
Do you have children living at home to get an income tax cut ? If tax bands have to be moved they should move for all.
R Fenech
Oct 10th 2012, 16:36
Therefore the job of us teachers already includes us being mothers, nurses, walking dictionaries, counsellors, free-photocpies-service-provider (for those in need) and babysitters. Do we have to end up as being babysitters overtime??
C Agius
Oct 10th 2012, 16:43
... and fathers too or don't they enter into the "childcare equation"?
Ian Mamo
Oct 10th 2012, 17:10
the word overtime shouldn't be in your dictionary given the SUMMER holidays.
H. Meilak
Oct 10th 2012, 19:09
@Ian Mamo
I don't know what your job is but I would like to ask, do you, like my sister (with children of her own), go back home to correct homework and prepare next day's lessons? And do you expect children to go to school all summer? If they had to extend school hours it would be some 11 hours from the time children wake up till the time they get back home.
J Cauchi
Oct 10th 2012, 19:27
Ian Mamo, I always wonder why those people who are jealous of the teachers' summer holidays, don't change their job, go to university and become teachers... could you just do that instead of turning green with envy? Rest assured that if the teachers do not have holidays, no one will be available to teacher our children.
R Fenech
Oct 10th 2012, 19:41
Mr Mamo, i would like to inform you that we pay dearly for our 'summer holidays' because with a full load of lessons, little time is left during the day to prepare lessons plans for 5 different classes which included lesson plans, worksheets (since we do not even have a book!), differentiated notes, interactive white board resources and flashcards. My work does not stop when the bell rings!
Brimmer D
Oct 10th 2012, 20:42
Ian Mamo,
if someone takes away my summer holidays I expect to be give the right (like everyone else) to take my leave throughout the whole year...even during exams, parents day, etc...
N. Agius
Oct 10th 2012, 16:31
In many cases people need to work longer hours to pay their huge loans caused by overpriced property which made a few guys considerably rich. Our young families are paying the price of letting capitalism prevail.
David Mangion
Oct 10th 2012, 16:31
In any case.......this budget is useless......it will not pass from parliament.
David Mangion
Oct 10th 2012, 16:30
How about additional government revenue, by adding vat on purchases of cabin cruisers, large motor boats, luxury yachts and similar status-symbol luxuries ?
How about charging a berthing fee for the myriad of expensive boats that plague the blue lagoon during the summer months ?
How about giving tax credits to those employers who establish "in-house" child care centres ?
Colin Attard
Oct 10th 2012, 16:29
…and unmarred citizens or Maltese citizens who don’t have a family will just pay am I right???
Gordon Grech
Oct 10th 2012, 16:29
Tal-misthija li assocjazzjoni bhal din titkellem bdan il-mod. Kulhadd ghandu dritt tal-opinjoni imma l-iskola hija ghat-tfal u mhux ghal genituri. Xi trid, it-teachers u t-tfal igibuhom robots!
Robert Cassar
Oct 10th 2012, 16:57
Prosit Sur Grech, l-iktar kumment bis-sens li qrajt din il-gimgha!!! Dawn l-individwi jahsbu li t-tfal huma kaxxa vojta li tista tibqa timli fiha gurnata shiha minghajr waqfin!!!! Jew inkella li l-iskop ewlieni tal-iskola hi li zzomm it-tfal x'imkien fejn la jtellfu l-genituri taghhom u lanqas lill-employers generuzi taghhom. L-iskola mhux il-babysitter tal-pajjiz.!!! Indahhluha f'rasna!!
Michael Hudson
Oct 10th 2012, 16:28
Great family values ukoll. How about reducing the cost of living so that the parents can dedicate more time to their children instead of working. Is this the modern Malta. Make children and let others bring them up, so that parents work and work. Halluna trid.
A M Bonello
Oct 10th 2012, 16:27
Wouldn't it be a good idea for schools to start at 9AM in order to ease the heavily congested traffic?
M Micallef
Oct 10th 2012, 16:27
It would be nicer if we could have better understanding employers which understand family responsibilites and cater for reduced hours and working from home instead! Some parents, like myself would much prefer to raise our children ourselves.
Anthony A. Mifsud
Oct 10th 2012, 16:25
O what a coincidense, is this the porta voce tal Gvern.
Ninu
Graham Sansone
Oct 10th 2012, 16:21
Simply amazing on how people disregard us teachers. Longer school hours = baby sisters for parents who work long hours. And at what time will one correct the childrens work? or get things for school done? People have forgot that a teacher has no working hours, we correct and get things done at home till night time. And then what about our family?
C Agius
Oct 10th 2012, 16:37
yes and you also have a 3 month long summer holiday, unlike those people in private practice.. that have to juggle children, work, homework, school fees and bosses 365 days a year.
Carmel Tabone
Oct 10th 2012, 17:12
so as you suggest the teachers can leave all the corrections and lesson plans to be done during those 3 month long summer holiday, and after school they just go home to relax like everybody else. is this what you mean, mr agius?
Noel Cuschieri
Oct 10th 2012, 17:13
On average (and if one considers public holidays, holidays, etc.), a number of teachers work a 24 hour (or less) week (on a yearly basis)!!!
Robert Agius
Oct 10th 2012, 20:03
C Agius, why aren't you a teacher then if it's so grand? By any chance can you you also choose when to take you days off at your workplace too?
Robert Agius
Oct 10th 2012, 20:06
Noel Cuschieri, are you talking about teaching time or do you expect lesson plans to to fall from the heavens and corrections to be done by magic? Also, teaching time is work without any break. You know, I worked in an office, used to spend some quality time sitting at the desk doing jack.
Noel Cuschieri
Oct 10th 2012, 22:48
@ Robert Agius.
Ok, add another 2 hours a day for planning and corrections (is that enough?) and that adds up another 10 hours a week (and only for 9 months!). A 34 hour week is not bad neither!! And by the way, are you sure that all teachers spend at least 2 hours a day on planning and corrections?
Robert Agius
Oct 11th 2012, 18:00
Go ahead Noel, you can still become a teacher. What is stopping you?
Robert Agius
Oct 11th 2012, 18:02
And one more thing Noel, are you sure everybody else spends 40 hrs a week working?
Matthew Saliba
Oct 10th 2012, 16:21
I have a proposal for the MEA: Why don't they increase the salaries of their employees and not hide behind the Government? Of course not, it would affect their bottom line!!
Paul Sammut
Oct 10th 2012, 16:21
Said quite right to cater for working parents and for all those parents that have no time for their children but not in the intrest of the childreen. Why these people bother to have childreen i do not know may be for social benefits.
J Degabriele
Oct 10th 2012, 16:16
Get this! Schools ae not there to cater for parents - just for children!
Bernard Pollacco
Oct 10th 2012, 16:15
since when are teachers babysitters ?
Leslie Darmanin
Oct 10th 2012, 16:15
So, the MEA wants less government expenditure and fiscal consolidation.
Then it goes on to suggest:
1. Tax cuts which means less revenue
2. Longer school hours which means higher salary costs
3. More childcare services by government
4. A maternity leave paid for by the state
Ok, who will square the circle please?
George Calleja
Oct 10th 2012, 16:07
Reading the MEA proposals, one is amazed why it did not suggest that the government should send baby-sitters when parents are at work . They simply do not understand that any of their suggestions mean more taxes on us.
Simon Polidano
Oct 10th 2012, 16:05
qas iridu kollox m'ghajnhom l-employers ukoll...?
Ian Mamo
Oct 10th 2012, 17:14
Jin naqbel li jhallsuh l employer. Flok turnover ta 10 milljun, jaghmlu tunrover ta 9miljun u tlett kwarti.
Mr Evan Camilleri
Oct 10th 2012, 18:30
@ian mamo.... hawn hafna employers zghar li huma l-boghod milli jaghmlu miljun turnover!!!
Gigi Sullivan
Oct 10th 2012, 16:04
Great! Some teachers are already practically babysitters...now it looks like they have to add 'foster-parents' to their CV's.
Angelo Vassallo
Oct 10th 2012, 16:04
I suppose that the MEA will also be very much interested and appreciates if "dear leader" joseph muscat of the partit lejburista will give his "official position" regarding these proposals.
I bet he will promise MEA that if elected he will do just what they proposed in the first six months of his premiership.
.
Joseph Brincat
Oct 10th 2012, 16:23
Angelo Vassallo
The Malta Employers Association in Budget proposals today to gonzi pn ,
for gonzi pn is going to do this Budged if he make it ??? not joseph muscat !!
joseph borg st john
Oct 10th 2012, 17:48
Angelo don t you know that dear leader joseph muscat is just an m p and a wonnabe .
Please choose the reason of your report below: