The teachers’ union is considering calling a strike saying the government ignored its concerns on an alleged case of sexual abuse at a Ħamrun school.

Malta Union of Teachers president Kevin Bonello yesterday said a letter was sent to Education Minister Evarist Bartolo about the case, in which a male teacher allegedly allowed three boys to abuse a 14-year-old girl at the Ħamrun Lyceum. He said the union had heard nothing despite the fact that the letter had been sent several weeks ago.

“We gave them until last Friday but we have heard nothing, no feedback. We will now have to see what action to take and we are not excluding ordering a strike,” Mr Bonello said. He said the first step of registering an industrial dispute would be done later that same day (yesterday).

The police are investigating the allegations, made by the girl’s mother, and both the teacher and the three students have been suspended. The teacher was also formally questioned and subsequently granted police bail.

The police investigations have been widened

The police investigations have since been widened after allegations involving at least three other girls surfaced. All the cases allegedly took place since the start of this scholastic year.

It is claimed that one of the female students was locked in a classroom by seven male students and the suspended teacher and she was then abused. Subsequently, a series of compromising photos of the victim were allegedly posted on the multimedia mobile application Snapchat.

The MUT had complained in November that the teacher already appeared to have been found guilty, particularly by the media, even before any investigation was concluded. In its letter to the minister, the Union said initial evidence in its possession indicated there were various versions of facts.

The media, however, was focusing exclusively on the version provided by the parent, it complained.

The MUT had asked the ministry to launch its own investigation into the case and to take appropriate action to protect both students and employees at the school.

It also sought an urgent investigation into allegations that young adults from other youth hubs were regularly abusing students and teachers alike.

“The union will, as always, collaborate with the authorities if and when needed for the truth to be established,” it told the minister.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.