Having schoolchildren present a doctor’s note if they miss just one school day, as announced by the Social Solidarity Minister on Tuesday, is not set in stone, according to the Education Minister.
“School has not started. I can tell you that before school starts we will have an attendance policy declared openly and everything will become more clear,” said Education Minister Evarist Bartolo yesterday.
He told Times of Malta the government would be issuing the new instructions before children returned to school in two weeks’ time.
If a child has a cold you don’t necessarily have to take them to a doctor. You just keep them at home to get better
Asked whether the measure announced by Minister Michael Farrugia was therefore still up for discussion, Mr Bartolo replied: “Not only it is open for discussion, we want policies that are effective.”
Mr Bartolo said the Social Solidarity Minister spoke about the measure because he “was worried” and “was just being earnest” and “wanted to make sure that benefit is not abused”. “Obviously, he doesn’t want the social benefit allowance to be abused but we can reassure him that, from our end, we can provide him with enough evidence so that, yes, it will not be abused,” Mr Bartolo said.
He said the ministries of education, health and social solidarity would be discussing how to make things work. “We’re interested in clamping down on absenteeism but through practical solutions.”
State schools have an attendance rate of 87 per cent when compared to 96 per cent in Church and private schools.
“Is there a need for a medical certificate from the first day? Not necessarily. We will be providing his ministry with the evidence of absenteeism, without necessarily asking for a certificate on the first day.”
Dr Farrugia’s compulsory medical certificates declaration was criticised by the Malta Union of Teachers as a “sudden decision”, which “may be half-baked” and “will not solve the problem unless accompanied by a proper structure”.
The union said: “Without such a structure, situations will be created whereby children are sent to school even if they are unwell in order for the parents to avoid the additional costs or hassle of procuring a medical certificate.”
It suggested implementing measures to ensure that sick children are kept at home to safeguard the health and safety of other children, highlighting the fact that some irresponsible parents refused to pick up children from school even when they were sick.
The Association of Private Family Doctors also called for “more common sense”.
“It does not make sense that every time a child is sick you need a certificate,” said association president Anthony Azzopardi.
“If the mother is sick and she cannot take the child to school or a child misses the school bus what will happen?
“We don’t want to end up in a situation where doctors will have to issue certificates even though the child is not sick,” said Dr Azzopardi.
He believed the measure announced by Dr Farrugia would cause some hardship to parents. “If a child has a cold you don’t necessarily have to take the child to a doctor but you just keep him/her at home to get better,” he said.
He admitted that the social benefits system was abused. “I had people working with the government at the end of the year asking me what the balance of their sick leave entitlement was. Some people consider sick leave as a leave entitlement,” he said.
“Common sense all round is what we need: from head teachers and parents,” he insisted.
Parents who spoke to Times of Malta called for a more practical solution.
“If my son has the runs, then I’m not going to send him to school, so do I have to take him to the doctor for just one day,” one confused mother asked.
Others said it was not fair that all parents were put in one basket.
“I pay for my children to go to a private school and I will not allow them to miss school unless there is a good reason, but we do need a bit of leeway,” said one irritated parent.