News 21/07/2002

Student classification threatened by MUT action

By Marika Azzopardi

School children are still eagerly waiting for the day when they will be able to receive their annual school examination results. However, when questioned by MaltaToday, the Ministry of Education has confirmed that all students will progress to the next year of their studies and in those cases where the classes are streamed, the students will be allocated their classes according to the mid-year results.

Following an MUT directive issued on June 12, all teaching grades were instructed not to enter marks on exam scripts and not to give results to school administration or school officials. Should MUT keep its stance throughout summer, students may remain unclassified for the next scholastic year.

Two issues remain between the Malta Union of Teachers and government: a new collective agreement for government teachers and the recruitment of facilitators. Earlier this month the MUT denied that there is a dispute with government regarding the collective agreement. The reason for the protest it claims, is the refusal of the Office of the Prime Minister to negotiate a sectoral agreement. More than 200 kindergarten assistants who take care of children with special needs, are in the eye of the storm. These had been promised eligibility for the posts of facilitators after completing specialised studies.

In the meantime parents are voicing their increasing concern. Rita Galea from Paola commented thus, "It’s not fair that our children have to suffer consequences such as these. I have three children and they all studied hard to place themselves for next year. Now they are asking about their results continuously and I have to tell them that the results are not ready. How do you explain these stupid situations to children?"

Another parent, P.Chetcuti said, "Teachers have a right to ask for what has been promised to them. But students should be caught in the middle. If the situation remains the same, then all the effort done by all these children during the past year will be in vain. You know how it is, children are always eager to know exam results, especially if they have worked hard and are in for an important year ahead. It’s especially frustrating since everybody is saying that the papers have been corrected and that the teachers do know how their students have placed."

The Ministry for Education has confirmed that there have not been any further developments yet.

"All heads of schools have been given directives so that all students will pass to the next year of their studies and in those cases where the classes are streamed, the students will be allocated in the classes according to the mid-year results. Of course this is not the ideal situation and if it is

possible we will try to use the normal system when the issue is resolved.

Yes it is unfair and the Ministry has appealed to the MUT each time it has issued a statement in this regard. The MUT is taking the children as ransom and is keeping the results of the students which at the end of the day are their own property, something which they have worked hard for."