[WATCH] Teachers' warrants should not be awarded by minister - MUT

Teachers - tighten warrant rules, prevent cyberbullying of teaching staff

The education minister should not have the final say on the award of teachers' warrants, the Malta Union of Teachers president Kevin Bonello.

Instead, Bonello said, "the final decision should be taken by the professional council ," adding that it was "demeaning" for teachers and educational professionals to have the parameters determined by a politician.

Insisting that the union's proposal was not related to recent events which saw an unwarranted teacher involved in a tragic incident with a student of his, he said that permanent warrants have been issued to teachers despite these not being in possession of the necessary academic qualifications and pedagogical training.

Noting that the union had brought this legal loophole to the education ministers' attention three years ago, Bonello called for the introduction of a three-tier warranting system, including an educational license "on the same line of other professions."

"A license should be based on the registry of auxiliary teachers, learning supporter assistants and other persons who work with children on a daily basis despite not having a degree level of education. This license would obviously guarantee that all persons working with children abide by a code of ethics."  

Bonello also called for a zero tolerance policy in regards to discipline of teachers, parents and students in schools.

Cyber Bullying

MUT today launched a campaign on cyber bullying through the unions webpage, social networks and email. 

"This initiative was not triggered by recent events, but we have been working on this for some time on the insistence of teachers," MUT official Marco Bonnici said.

Among the initiatives taken, the union launched a video which aims to define cyber bullying, creating awareness on the "new reality" that, Bonnici said, educators were facing on a daily basis at schools.

Calling for clear legislation on cyber bullying and other forms of abuse, Bonnici said the campaign intends to address "many instances which could be prevented with caution and diligence."

Data protection

On the recent controversy over the legal notice granting the minister the right to access data, including personal details of students for research purposes, MUT president Kevin Bonello said that the union was not consulted and "so far we are not aware of the motivation behind this legal notice."

He added that the union has always held that everybody's privacy should be protected, however the authorities already have access to such data which is used for useful research purposes.  

Moreover, Bonello explained that the union was backing the banding policy because "it is not streaming and it is not pure mixed abilities grouping, but somewhere in between." 

Dispelling fears that this policy could have a detrimental affect on students, Bonello said that banding would allow teachers to reach out to students in a better and more efficient manner.