[WATCH] Teachers' conditions to be improved in bid to attract more educators

Better conditions for teachers is not just a question of pay

The government was committed to providing better conditions for all educators, including better pay but also providing help in their everyday needs and facing the danger of burnout and other challenges, Education minister Evarist Bartolo said this morning. 

Bartolo was addressing the media following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between MCAST and the University of Malta on collaboration in the field of early childhood education and care. 

He welcomed the close collaboration between the two institutions, and said he refused to accept the status quo on the difficulties in recruiting new teachers. 

"We look forward to pursue discussions with the Malta Union of Teachers on improving conditions for all educators across the board," Bartolo said.

"But that will not be enough and we need to broaden the recruitment paths, even through vocational training and applied learning."

He said MCAST and the University could be indispensible in providing the perfect structures for such courses. 

"We must also once again look at courses for persons interested in pursuing a career on teaching but who cannot attend morning courses, despite the slow uptake of such adhoc courses in the past," he said. 

Bartolo said it was imperative that the quality of teaching does not suffer, whatever the incentives and projects introduced. 

He said he was also not disheartened by exam results published last week which showed that only one in three students had obtained high enough qualifications for entry to university. 

"I would rather we focus on the quality of teaching being provided from childcare centre level to post-secondary rather than limit ourselves to numbers at all costs," he said. 

The MOU signed today will enable student progression from the Institute of Community Services at MCAST to the Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education at university. 

It will allow MCAST students graduating with a Higher  Diploma in Advanced Studies in Early Years to enroll in the third and final year of the University's new BA (Hons) degree