The employers’ association yesterday clarified its statement about extending formal school hours to favour working parents, insisting it did not mean full-time teachers should stay on later.

In its pre-Budget proposals, the Malta Employers’ Association called on the Government to lengthen the school day to encourage more parents to find jobs and work longer hours.

It also argued childcare should be made affordable to encourage stronger female participation in the workforce.

But the Education Ministry said existing schemes achieved the same results. It said it was already implementing several measures, including after-school facilities, to help working parents.

Yesterday MEA said in a press statement that its Budget proposal to extend school hours did not mean the extended hours would have to be provided by teachers doing a full-time job in the same school.

It had always believed the additional hours should involve after-school programmes, where additional staff would be hired for extracurricular activities.

Plans to extend a successful scheme to 31 localities – as expressed by the ministry – were very much in line with its Budget recommendations, it added.