Teachers taking part in a pilot project to centralise all State schools’ photocopying at the Government Printing Press are ignoring the rule because the system is too bureaucratic, teachers’ unions have said.
The project, revealed earlier this year by The Sunday Times of Malta, was introduced after the government suddenly decided to enforce a 1995 rule of the Office of the Prime Minister stating that all printing by government departments must be done at its press.
Teachers had warned of a “bureaucratic nightmare” and said the government’s printing was of “inferior quality”. Earlier this year the Malta Union of Teachers directed teachers to ignore the printing scheme but later lifted its directive. Yet, teachers have continued to photocopy their material at local stationaries and schools as they consider the centralised printing scheme too inefficient, Malta Union of Teachers head Marco Bonnici said.
“People have just continued photocopying at school. Some have also resorted to paying for photocopies themselves since they do not trust they will receive their photocopies on time,” he added.
Teachers complained that the system hampered their ability to quickly adapt their lesson plans
Teachers taking part in the pilot project earlier this year complained that the system hampered their ability to quickly adapt their lesson plans, as photocopies had to be ordered days in advance.
The union said material required in cases of “emergency” may now be printed using the school’s photocopying machines or at an external photocopying supplier.
However, both the MUT and the Union of Professional Workers said the definition of what the government believes to be an emergency is unclear.
The MUT wants to government to engage a private contractor for photocopies in cases of emergency.
Despite repeated claims by teachers that the system is inefficient, the government is pressing on with its plan. The pilot project will resume at Marsascala Primary School and Żejtun Secondary School until the end of the first term of the scholastic year.
An agreement is to be drawn up between the Education Ministry and the Government Printing Press, covering all State schools, targeting bulk pre-prepared printing such as workbooks and magazines.
Three options shall be offered for day-to-day printing: the school photocopier, the government printing press and a private operator.
The ministry will then initiate a process for an addendum to the agreement signed with the printing press to include day-to-day printing, the spokeswoman added.