The Malta Union of Teachers and the Education Ministry yesterday signed a new sectoral agreement effective between next year and 2022.

The agreement will affect all State educators, with the financial aspects also reflecting on educators working in Church schools.

“We’ve heard so much about the current crisis and we hope that in the coming years we will be seeing a better situation in our sector, with improvements to persuade young people to get into the profession while making sure that educators already in service continue with their much-needed work,” MUT president Marco Bonnici said ahead of the signing.

Talks on a new agreement have long been coming, with the union even threatening the government with strikes as the two struggled to find common ground.

The agreement was signed following a wide consultation process where union members were provided with the measures of the new sectoral agreement and asked to provide their feedback.

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said through the agreement, educators were being given the dignity they deserved and their conditions would be improved, putting them in an better position to carry out their duties efficiently.