The Ministry of Education attracts more than its fair share of negative media headlines. If it is not about its inability to organise a fully-functional public transport system for schoolchildren, it is about introducing new educational legislation without meaningful consultation with the union representing the teaching profession.

At present, there are three Bills awaiting Parliament’s deliberation that deal with reforms in the educational system. The Malta Union of Teachers is irked by the lack of consultation, especially with regard to the new way of granting teachers’ warrants as defined in the Teaching and Allied Professions Act. The MUT has ordered a one-day strike by all educators in protest at the government’s insistence on undesirable changes the union insists will affect educators negatively. Further industrial action could also follow.

It is baffling how policymakers can launch new educational policies that could affect the teaching profession profoundly without a rigorous and formal consultation process with all stakeholders. No wonder many teachers feel they are under-appreciated and taken for granted by their employers who should be responsible for ensuring a working environment that promotes excellence in teaching.

The MUT and the Ministry of Education are caught up in a war of words on the interpretation of the new process to issue teachers’ warrants. The teachers’ union strongly opposes the clause that will revoke all ‘permanent’ teaching warrants and replace them by new ones, which will be renewed on the basis of continuous professional development. The ministry insists teachers will not be affected by such changes and argues that the proposed teachers’ council will be given the ability to revoke or grant warrants, an authority at present held by the Education Minister.

The setting up of another autonomous regulatory body is being sold by the Education Ministry as another advantage of the proposed changes. The proposed new commission will be composed of mostly government-appointed officials and will be empowered to issue and regulate school licences. The MUT is not impressed by the independent label of this commission and insists the government will still have full control.

Given the mediocre and often ineffective performance of other regulatory bodies in financial services, e-gaming and planning, who could blame the teachers’ union for being sceptical about the setting up of a so-called autonomous educational commission?

Another issue is homeschooling, the merits of which are being debated internationally. Some believe teaching one’s children at home will guarantee the individual attention some students need. Others think parents can never have the skills of trained educators and will be doing a disservice to their children when they refuse to give them formal education. The MUT would do well to weigh the merits of homeschooling before opposing its introduction as contemplated by the proposed educational reforms.

Another bone of contention is the proposal to hold heads of school personally responsible for their school licence. The Education Ministry believes this reinforces accountability. The MUT argues that those running State schools have limited control in essential management functions like recruitment, finance, physical resources and curriculum. As such, they should not be personally responsible for their school licence.

The educational environment has been distressed for a long time. Putting educators under more pressure is counterproductive. A change in the mindset of policymakers and their political bosses is long overdue.

This is a Times of Malta print editorial