The Malta Union of Teachers has rubbished a statement by the Education Ministry stating that a Prefect of Discipline has been engaged, saying the post created so far is no more than an "ad hoc arrangement".

Responding to the ministry's statement, the MUT said applications for the position of a College Prefect of Discipline had not been issued, notwithstanding its pleas. It also threatened to take further action in the light of recent violence against teachers.

"In a hurried attempt to try and calm the situation in this particular school (Naxxar Boys' Secondary School), the ministry contacted a retired ex-assistant head of school and asked him to give a helping hand," the union said.

The move was made in the wake of a series of acts of bullying and violence against teachers at Naxxar Boys' Secondary School and following the MUT's condemnation of these acts.

The union explained that, according to the Reform Agreement signed in July 2007 as part of the Student Services, within the Directorate for Educational Services, a new position of College Prefect of Discipline was created. Responsibility included the coordination of activities, policies and procedures related to the promotion and encouragement of good behaviour and discipline in the college schools.

The position, the MUT said, would be filled following a call for applications open to teachers with eight years' teaching experience in a licensed school.

While highlighting that it did not doubt the credentials of the person appointed, the MUT maintained that this was "definitely not the way forward" and appealed, once again, to the authorities to start dealing with the problem in a professional manner as stipulated in the Reform Agreement.