(Adds Mcast statement)

The teachers’ union is seeking answers about the proposed reform for Mcast.

The Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) wrote to the Education Minister today asking a series of questions, including whether the proposed reform was another fait accompli due to the fact that Mcast had already issued applications for heads of colleges when lecturers hardly had the time to digest proposals. Moreover, the MUT had not yet submitted its feedback.

The union also asked about the roles of these heads and what the new role of director of institutes would entail, whether it made sense to establish three colleges within an institution which was already a college and whether it made sense to merge institutes to create an institute of a 1200+ population.

The union asked how Mcast was going support this change and what would be the additional cost per annum of the reform.

The MUT said it would not allow changes in job descriptions or redundancies that might come into effect as a result of the proposed changes. It said it expected Mcast to formulate and present a clear plan for the proposed structure.

In a reply, Mcast said it had always been open to feedback to the important change it was implementing and it would continue to be.

Over the last weeks, it met as many of its stakeholders as possible, including the MUT council and MUT officials, to explain the proposal and to listen to feedback.

During these meetings, key aspects of the change were explained including the different roles of the heads and the links between the colleges and the institutes.

Feedback was generally positive and encouraging.

A number of suggestions made were taken on board and incorporated into the proposed changes.

During these sessions it was continuously emphasised that all MCAST lecturers would continue to work under exactly the same conditions as present, as staff members of the different institutes, and would continue to perform lecture duties in all programmes.

It was also emphasised that all Mcast administrative and support staff would retain all their current conditions.