Independent schools have increased their fees this year in an attempt to match the revised wages offered at State schools following an agreement between the government and the teachers union, it has emerged.

Parents with children in independent schools, who spoke to Times of Malta, confirmed that this year’s fees have been raised significantly, with the increase being higher than usual.

While the schools tended to raise fees at the start of every scholastic year, most parents said that as their children returned to school this week they were being told they would have to pay more than usual.

Research conducted by Times of Malta found that the increases, when compared to the fees for the previous year, varied from 7.5% to some 20% in some schools.

The parents said some schools had even admitted in the annual circular handed out at the start of the year that the fees had to be increased to cover the additional costs as a result of a commitment to match the various allowances offered to teachers in State and Church schools.

Other schools, while not officially informing parents why the bill sent was higher this time round, had hinted informally that the move was a result of the increase in teachers’ wages that was being offered in State and Church schools, this newspaper was told.

Concluded in December last year following years of negotiations during which the government and the union struggled to find common ground, the agreement saw teachers receiving pay increases of more than €100 per month, with the figures varying depending on the educators’ level of experience.

In May, the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) called on the government to reach an agreement with independent schools, expressing concern that failure to match the package could “destabilise the sector”.

The union had also warned that without raising the fees, independent schools could end up employing unqualified or less qualified educators.

Contacted about the issue, MUT head Marco Bonnici told the Times of Malta that despite negotiations between the independent schools and the government being at an advanced stage, the schools were recently informed that they would not be receiving any assistance.

“The information that reached the union and the respective schools is that assistance would constitute State aid and the government is not allowed to assist. The union believes that this is just an excuse which will now leave independent schools in a dire situation,” Mr Bonnici argued.

The MUT head added that only two of the schools succeeded in matching the financial package offered to those working in State and Church institutions.

“Negotiations between the MUT and the respective schools are ongoing and the union is pressing so that educators working at independent schools benefit from improved financial conditions.

“The union is also highly concerned that the current lower financial package given to educators at independent schools is leading to an exodus to State and Church schools,” Mr Bonnici went on, questioning the sustainability of some of the independent schools unless assisted.