Updated 10pm
The strike directive given by the Malta Union of Teachers for a strike on Monday has not been withdrawn but the union shall be attending a conciliation meeting on Friday, TVM has reported.
Attempts to contact the union on Thursday evening were unsuccessful.
The union has directed all educators to go out on strike on Monday, saying that it was unacceptable that in terms of a bill now before parliament, the permanent warrant would no longer be permanent. It has also complained about lack of consultation.
Earlier on Thursday, the union turned down an invitation for talks, saying its position on laws currently before parliament was clear and it intended to forge ahead with strike plans.
The minister had requested a conciliation meeting to clarify the part of a proposed law which has caused problems.
Parliamentary Secretary Clifton Grima insisted in the afternoon that teachers were consulted prior to changes to education laws being proposed.
Speaking outside the Junior College following a visit there, which Education Minister Evarist Bartolo did not attend at the last minute due to other commitments, Mr Grima told journalists that teachers had been consulted prior to the changes being tabled in Parliament earlier this week.
Earlier on Thursday, the MUT accused the government, in a letter to the minister, of not having consulted the union before unveiling the changes.
Read: MUT turns down minister's meeting offer, forges ahead with strike plans
Insisting that it was not the time to waste time on the past but to look to the future so that students received the best possible education, Mr Grima said that it was important that all sides did not “close doors” to talks.
Asked whether the government was concerned about the series of issues that had marred the start of the new scholastic year, namely the looming strike and the problems with the free transport scheme, Mr Grima again reiterated that the government’s main aim was to ensure that students received the best education possible.
In a message for Teacher's Day, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo reiterated that the government had no intention of removing the teachers' warrant and it wanted to encourage more young people to take up teaching.