A one-hour strike is to take place on Monday at what the president of the teachers’ union Kevin Bonello has termed as the “ghetto” San Ġorġ Preca Secondary School in Ħamrun.
Speaking to Times of Malta, Mr Bonello said the geographical catchment area of the school brought together students from four depressed areas into a very challenging environment.
The school has been in the spotlight over the past months after claims that a 32-year-old teacher allowed three boys to abuse a 14-year-old girl.
The teacher was questioned by the police and released on police bail. No formal charges have been brought against him in court.
The police are investigating these claims and other allegations involving three girls.
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.
An unsustainable situation is being created by a minority of children who are being extremely disruptive
Describing the situation at the school as a “ghetto”, Mr Bonello said an unsustainable situation was being created by a minority of children who were being extremely disruptive.
He said these children hurled abuse at teachers, left lessons to join other ones, and used very colourful language. The MUT had been complaining about the situation to the government for months to no avail.
Mr Bonello said the only solution offered by the Education Ministry was a reconciliation meeting. He said a similar meeting had been held two years ago without achieving anything.
The MUT was proposing specific programmes for problem children who refused to integrate with others.
Mr Bonello said direct assistance should be given from the Education Directorate to provide for all of the teaching and security needs of the school.
Merely carrying out superficial improvements at the school would simply not do, he said.