Labour committed to enhance teachers’ role in society

Joseph Muscat has committed a Labour government to improve teachers' standing in society and to facilitate their career progression when moving between state, Church and independent schools

Addressing a meeting of the Malta Union of Teachers, Muscat assured the union that the proposals published in the PL electoral manifesto would be implemented. "We look forward to working with you in the future and we assure you that the proposals will be implemented."

Hailing his party's proposal to give teachers paid sabbaticals as a "breakthrough", Muscat said a new Labour government would embark on a wide educational campaign to improve the standing of teachers in society, as well as build new schools and invest in more teachers and human resources. "We are coincident that if we work together, all this would be achievable," Muscat told the union.

During his intervention, MUT president Kevin Bonello said he could not avoid mentioning the turbulent 1980s in which the then-Labour government forced the closure of church schools unless they offered their educational service for free. "I cannot not mention the turbulent times teachers suffered from in the 1980s. MUT remembers this period vividly," Bonello said.

On his part, Muscat said that he condemned the violence of the 1980s, adding that Evarist Bartolo's very first meeting as education minister in 1996 was with the MUT.