The first collective agreement for the Institute for Education

Earlier this week the government and the Malta Union of Teachers signed a new collective agreement for employees at the Institute for Education (IFE). This is the first collective agreement for IFE and the first agreement signed by MUT which covers all grades employed in an entity. The agreement was approved by a 100% MUT membership vote.

The Institute for Education was established by the government in 2015 and was reconstituted as an agency in 2017. It was one of the flagships of former education minister Evarist Bartolo, who transformed the training section within the ministry into an agency offering specialised training to educators. Education Minister Clifton Grima shared and supported the vision of IFE and the institute continued to grow through the direction of Permanent Secretary Matthew Vella and CEO Joanne Grima.

In 2019, administrative, managerial and lecturing grades chose the Malta Union of Teachers as the sole union representing them. This led to an uphill struggle for MUT and its members particularly because all employment at IFE was regulated by Directive 7 (an agreement between the government on one side and the entity-government on the other). Overcoming the constraints of the directive and negotiating a new collective agreement was a mammoth task and was only achieved following several months of negotiations through the assistance of members and their delegates.

The new agreement shall lead to improved conditions of work and an improved financial package for all grades. It includes more flexibility, revised policies and procedures and shall introduce new grades amongst other benefits. Most importantly the new agreement shall provide security of employment of IFE grades and establishes the Institute of Education as a leading educational institution in the education sector.

I would like to thank the Education Ministry, the IFE management, members, delegates, MUT Officials and staff for this achievement.

The IFE in numbers

Course participation to-date: 413 graduates as at November 2023

120 (estimated) graduates in November 2024

217 (out of the 413) became qualified teachers

69 (out of the 413) graduated in Applied Educational Leadership

360 participants are currently following a qualification

6,000+ participants (not unique) attended professional development sessions

Hundreds of parents/guardians attended free informative sessions

Courses offered:

15 Undergraduate Programmes at MQF Level 6

30 Postgraduate Programmes at MQF Level 7

50+ accredited awards for professional development ranging between MQF level 3 and MQF Level 7

70 non-accredited educator sessions

50+ parental sessions targeting parents/guardians