The Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) has appealed to the Minister of Education to look into and reverse the dismissal of two lecturers who were on probation at Mcast.

It said the terminations were 'highly debatable' and the dismissals had gone ahead even though senior Mcast officials over the past months had said they would not happen. 

The lecturers, both American citizens, worked in the Institute of Art and Design. The union said they had always been given positive reports and had never had any negative feedback from their superiors. Yet their engagement was terminated near the end of their probationary period.

"Both lecturers have volumes of correspondence full of praise and positive feedback from their students and parents. These terminations are even more awkward given that it appears that Mcast needs both lecturers. In fact it seems apparent that vacancies were created after their dismissal and both lecturers are being replaced," the MUT said.

"While the MUT recognizes the legal right of the employer to terminate a job while on probation, it cannot understand how both lecturers employed by Mcast last year were fired," the union said.

When contacted, MUT president Kevin Bonello said no reasons had been given for the dismissals.