Parents present Letter of Complaint opposing processing of student data

The Association of Parents of Children in Church Schools (APCCS) has presented a Letter of Complaint – signed by over 2000 parents and legal guardians of minors, currently attending educational institutions in Malta and Gozo - to the Information and Data Protection Commissioner, in which it expressed its concerns on the transferring and processing of student data.

In March of this year, a legal notice was issued which granted the Education Minister – presently occupied by Evarist Bartolo – the right to access data on students for research purposes.

In a reaction, the Opposition had presented a motion in parliament to revoke the legal notice but this was defeated by 37 votes to 30. On his part, Bartolo insisted that the legal notice was “approved at every stage by the data protection commissioner.”

However, in a statement released this morning by APCCS, parents have expressed their concerns that such a measure “overrides parental authority” if done “without the parents' explicit and informed consent.”

“It is hoped that due consideration is given to these serious concerns.”