Problems with uncontrollable students, similar to those at the Ħamrun Lyceum, have also been reported at a church school and two other State schools, this newspaper is informed.

The Malta Union of Teachers said in recent days it alerted the Education Ministry to the volatile situation. Due to “the sensitive nature” of the cases, the union confirmed to this newspaper only that the three schools were a church school, a State secondary school and a State resource centre.

The MUT was reacting to a report in the Times of Malta earlier this week in which education authorities denied that the situation at San Ġorġ Preca School in Ħamrun was out of hand.

The school has made headlines in recent months following a student’s allegations of abuse by a teacher and her fellow students.

A Church school, a State secondary, a resource centre

The authorities insisted that the behavioural problems were nothing extraordinary and that similar issues had been reported at different schools.

They also claimed the directives issued by the union had come too late, as action had already been taken and the problems identified by the MUT had been addressed.

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Reacting, the union said this was untrue and “things only started moving when the MUT intervened”.

“The claim that plans were in place before the union issued directives cannot be believed, because the situation at the school has been in discussion for the past six months. There was ample time for the Education Ministry and the school to implement its plans – had they really made them,” the union said.

The MUT also criticised comments by the education director general, Maria McNamara, that teachers at the Ħamrun school sought the union’s assistance as a result of “work fatigue”.

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While commending the authorities for stepping up efforts to address behavioural issues at schools, the MUT called for its reports and warnings to be taken seriously before certain situations degenerated.

Last month, the union issued directives to teachers at San Ġorġ Preca School, as the situation with unmanageable pupils continued to spiral out of control. A security guard was also called in to patrol the school after the directives came into force.