Talks on COVID mitigation measures in schools ongoing, Justyne Caruana says

A COVID action working group bringing together schools, union representatives and health professionals is holding constant discussions ahead of schools reopening in September, Justyne Caruana said.

The Education Minister said authorities were in a better position this year given the successful roll out of the vaccination programme among teachers and children aged 12 and over.

“We are in a better position in comparison to last year since now we have a year’s experience and a vaccination programme for teachers, staff and also children,” Caruana said. However, she would not say whether the mitigation measures in place over the past year will be maintained or amended.

The Nationalist Party yesterday called on the government to immediately publish an updated COVID-19 strategy for the education sector, well ahead of schools reopening next month.

Asked whether support services for children with a disability that were stopped as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, will be re-started come the new scholastic year, Caruana said the aim will be to strengthen the services and provide education to all, so no children are left behind.

She added that the pandemic affected everyone and assistance was provided in the form of catch-up classes in summer to address the issue of absenteeism.

Caruana spoke to MaltaToday after officially inaugurating Ix-Xemx Childcare Centre at the new Qawra primary school.

This childcare centre is part of a pilot project to extend hours of childcare centres from October.

The minister said a policy framework to address early childhood education is most important. She reiterated that the Labour government introduced free childcare so that the mothers could return to the work place and it now aims to provide the service to all children.

READ MORE: Free childcare for families with jobless parents proposed