Bernard Grech: 'Where is Labour's manifesto? Robert Abela doesn't want to do his homework'

The Labour Party’s promise to scrap homework is “nonsense” and shows that Robert Abela is out of touch, Bernard Grech said on Monday.

At a press conference in which he emphasised the PN's proposals on education, Grech hit out at the Labour's Party for not publishing its manifesto yet.

“We still don’t have a Labour Party manifesto – Robert Abela clearly doesn’t want to do his own homework, and as a result, he wants to scrap homework for young people as well… it’s just further proof that Robert Abela has no clue what he is saying,” Grech said.

He admitted that homework given out in schools should be evaluated and analysed; however, he said removing it altogether was not the way forward.

Grech also listed a series of pledges which included reiterating that a PN government would be willing to improve educators’ salaries.

Grech said that a new PN administration would expedite teachers’ progression in the public service wage scale.

PN pledges in the education sector:

• To open a specialised secondary school every year.
• To create an apprenticeship programme in collaboration with company owners who will receive 200$ of their investment in fiscal credits.
• Cover up to 35% of the salary of successful apprentices.
• 25% increase in maintenance grants for students.
• 25% increase for those who do voluntary work.
• A €500 grant for those aged 16 to 21, to cover travel that is linked to sports and cultural events.
• A tax break for parents who send their children to extra-curricular activities as well as a €300 grant to fund sport, arts, cultural activities, performing after school.

‘The PN is in favour of life’  

Asked by journalists what the party’s position on euthanasia was, Grech said that it was an important subject that deserved respect – however, the party’s position was in favour of life.

The PN leader said the party was against preimplantation genetic diagnosis, which would lead to embryos being discarded as part of IVF treatment.

Grech, however, said that a discussion needed to be had on the ‘take home’ baby rate of IVF since this was low and needed to improve.  

‘Abela is putting the country at risk’

Grech said that Abela did not create new economic sectors and entirely relied on selling passports to generate wealth.

The PN leader said this relience on passport sales was the reason why Abela was reluctant to suspend the sale of citizenship to Russian oligarchs, “putting Malta’s security at risk.”