The Malta Union of Teachers has directed school counsellors not to offer counselling service in schools where there are no proper amenities and facilities and where the student/counsellor ratio is higher than 1,400:1.
The union said that with the introduction of the college system in state schools, the work load of school counsellors has drastically increased. In spite of this, the school counsellors had laboured on to provide the best possible service.
However, the working conditions were unacceptable for both the school counsellors and their clients.
"In this respect, the college system is sacrificing quality for quantity and this is neither professional nor respectful towards the students and parents who avail themselves of this service," the MUT said.
It added that in the U.S. and in most E.U. countries the average student-counsellor ratio varied from a high of 1,250 to a low of about 400.
The MUT said its directives remain in place until talks are held with the Education authorities.