Hairdressers without any teaching qualifications have been roped in to teach one of the ‘applied’ SEC subjects being introduced to secondary schools next September.
Teachers who spoke on condition of anonymity expressed the surprise they felt when a group of hairdressers turned up for a 10-day crash course in teaching hairdressing that had initially been aimed at warranted teachers.
“We just couldn’t believe it when we saw that while we had worked for years to get our qualifications, hairdressers who have so far worked only in salons will be allowed to teach students,” one teacher said.
The course, and others like it, such as in applied engineering, technology and media literacy, is intended to give teachers the skills to take a hands-on approach to teaching their subject next year.
However, some of the hairdressers who attended this particular course had only one Advanced Level to their name and others none at all, another source said.
Hairdressers training to be supply teachers - Ministry
A spokesperson for the Education Ministry dismissed this information as incorrect.
“The persons mentioned have been offered additional training until July in this subject through Mcast, which would make them eligible to apply as supply teachers,” she explained.
But Malta Union of Teachers head Marco Bonnici said the ministry’s claim only confirmed fears that some of those chosen to teach the applied subjects lacked the necessary qualifications.
No state-of-the-art labs or facilities can compensate for a reduction of teaching standards through the engagement of unqualified teachers
While they may have vast knowledge of the area they specialised in, in this case hairdressing, they did not yet have any experience or training in pedagogy, he pointed out.
“The recent information and data are confirming the MUT’s statements earlier this year that there are not enough teachers to teach the 13 new applied subjects being introduced in September.
“With more than one fifth of students choosing applied subjects in the recent options exercise and the provision of a 10-day crash course for prospective teachers – some of who do not even have the status of supply teachers – the educational system has sunk to an unprecedented level.
“No state-of-the-art labs or facilities can compensate for a reduction of teaching standards through the engagement of unqualified teachers,” the MUT head said.
To apply for the job of a supply teacher, an applicant must be in possession of at least two ‘A’ levels. However, according to the call for applications issued by the Education Ministry, such applications will only be considered if there are still vacant teaching jobs after those with better qualifications have been selected.
13 new subjects
Come September, 13 new subjects will be on offer to State school students wishing to take a hands-on, rather than academic, approach to learning.
The MUT has repeatedly warned there may not be enough educators to cater for all the new subjects. It said a number of those who signed up for the courses had dropped out.
However, the ministry denied this, insisting that 62 people had attended and concluded the courses.
The ministry had initially told this newspaper that teachers would be attending a 10-day crash course in March but the government spokeswoman said on Saturday that this was just “the initial part of the training”: there would be a further four days of training in June.