Church school teachers are to enjoy better pay and conditions as a result of a new collective agreement signed on Tuesday between the Church and the Malta Union of Teachers.

In a joint statement, the two sides said educators will benefit from an improved financial package with revised salary scales, allowances and work resources, better working conditions, structures and opportunities at their workplace. No details were given.

The collective agreement also includes specific parameters regulating practices in church schools such as recognition of regular service, as well as exams and other assessment practices adopted by the different schools, the joint statement said.

Although the Church authorities are still negotiating funding from the State, Learning Support Educators and Kindergarten educators are to be provided with a laptop for the first time at par with other education grades.

Many of the provisions of this agreement have been adopted from the agreement signed by the MUT and the government in December 2017 including provisions such as progression and training initiatives, new grades of Learning Support Educator 3 (LSE 3) and Kindergarten Educator 3 (KGE 3), structures for time in lieu, and added leave.

Fr Charles Mallia, representing the Secretariat for Catholic Education said that although the agreement reflected the sectoral agreement between the government and the MUT, it has been adapted in a way that respected Church schools ethos, identity and autonomy. 

MUT president Marco Bonnici said the agreement adopted the improved conditions of work and financials achieved through the agreement signed with the government.