Those applying for teaching posts may have to produce certificates proving they are not registered sex offenders, the Education Ministry is proposing.
This would shift the onus of proof to verify whether a person is on the sex offenders register from the employer – as is the case now – to the prospective employee.
The proposal forms part of a set of recommendations by the Education Ministry in a White Paper entitled ‘Effective recruitment and selection procedures for people working with minors’.
The 17 proposals were opened for public consultation yesterday and are based on recommendations by the Lisa Maria Foundation, a lobby group.
Relatives of 15-year-old Lisa Maria Zahra set up the foundation after the girl was found dead at Dingli cliffs last year.
Her former teacher, Erin Tanti, is currently facing charges of murder, assisted suicide, defilement of minors, being in possession of indecent images of a minor and abusing a position of trust.
The goal is not to encourage paranoia or witch hunts
The white paper envisages a wide set of changes starting from applicant screening to the interview process and continuous training on appropriate behaviour concerning minors.
Education Minister Evarist Bartolo stressed that the majority of educators and adults working with children were “serious, committed people” who had a positive influence on children’s lives.
He said the goal was not to encourage “paranoia or witch hunts” but that the disproportionate danger posed by a small minority had prompted the need for “robust and effective systems” to ensure the protection of children.
The proposals include simplifying access to the sex offenders’ register and the introduction of a Single Recruitment Record to ensure that information can be easily accessed by different employers.
The white paper also proposes clear procedures on how schools should follow up allegations of misconduct, and the introduction of a ‘Children’s Champion’ in all schools to serve as a first point of contact.
Foundation spokesman Winston J. Zahra said the majority of the proposals had been drawn from best practices across Europe and adapted to the local context.
He added that many of them would cost little for schools to implement, but that where costs were involved, the protection of children should still be paramount.
The proposals at a glance
• Specific and continuous training on ethics, behaviour and professional issues.
• Onus on applicants to show they should not be disqualified from holding a position in relation to minors.
• More rigorous screening, interview and confirmation procedures.
• Greater access to information about applicants across institutions.
• National standards programme promoting commitment to high safety standards.