Updated at 6.36pm with Education Ministry statement

A security guard assaulted an assistant head of school who told him off for smoking in school, but the whole case is being covered up and the assistant head himself has been transferred, the Union of Professional Educators complained today.

The case happened at the Higher Secondary School in Naxxar around two weeks ago.

The assistant head was verbally and physically assaulted, and he immediately informed his superiors of the incident. But the management failed to investigate the security guard.

Instead, it called the assistant head in for an interrogation by his superiors and the employers of the security guard. During this interrogation, the superiors tried to justify the attitude and actions of the security guard, the union said.

The union called on the permanent secretary at the Education Ministry to hold a proper investigation but no reply was forthcoming. Instead, the union said it had been informed that the assistant head had his duties changed with immediate effect, and his responsibilities were being removed.

"The UPE is astonished that the ministry, instead of protecting the person who was assaulted, is instead protecting the aggressor. It is also evident that it does not want to perform a proper investigation since the facts would show that the attitudes and actions of the security guard are to be condemned."

"Why is it afraid to conduct a proper investigation? Why is the alleged victim being effectively transferred and why are his duties being changed?"  

MUT CONDEMNATION

In a statement about the case, the Malta Union of Teachers said it condemned all forms of attack against educators.

"The MUT has for years been helping a number of educators who have had similar cases and will continue to assist its members in all possible fora," it said.

EDUCATION MINISTRY STATEMENT

In a statement, the Education Ministry said the case had already been looked into by the head of school and college principal, and action was taken and communicated. Such matters, it said, were handled at a school and/or college level.

The assistant head, the ministry said, was not transferred and was still working at the Higher Secondary. He retained his role and the responsibilities associated with it.

But as the matter was within the remit of the police following the submission of a report, his responsibilities would not include supervision of the security officer involved in the case.

The matter, the ministry said, was also being looked into by the employer’s side. Should further action arise from that, the school would take all necessary action as required.