Teachers’ unions complain of deterioration in education at start of scholastic year

Two unions have come out with statements complaining of deleterious conditions in the educational sector, right at the start of the scholastic year.

The Union Haddiema Maghqudin’s Union of Professional Educators reported that ratios of educators to students for transport supervision were non-existent, saying the ministry had not supplied any details to employees on supervision.

The union said it had requested a copy of the transport supervision policy to learn what the ratio of educators to students was on regular transport supervision, as well as when several special needs are present, and the ratio of LSEs to students at resources centres.

“It transpires that such ratios are non-existent and should be public knowledge. The ministry hasn’t given such details to is employees, when we know for a fact that its the employer’s obligation to inform its employees via a circular.

“For this reason, students are not supervised well enough with the probability that certain accidents may occur due to low educator-to-student ratios,” UPE executive Graham Sansone said.

Sansone also noted a growing trend in precarious transport supervision, where LSEs caring for special needs students had to travel every day to the town where the student lives, leaving their car parked there while the school is in another locality.

“For this reason, LSEs who would need to avail themselves [of their car] during school hours, can’t do so.

“It is to no surprise that most schools are indecent working environments for our children and educators. Just yesterday it was reported that a kindergarten class in Santa Venera is in a disastrous state,” Sansone said, referring to a situation in which the Malta Union of Teachers also weighed in.

“MUT can confirm that the school leadership and educators did their utmost in ensuring that the necessary maintenance of the building is carried out. Interventions required at this school are clearly beyond the ordinary plastering and require specialised personnel,” MUT president Marco Bonnici said.

“The upkeep of buildings affects not only the working conditions of educators but also the learning environment of students. Yet, and this is a common occurrence in a number of schools, the priorities in education are not right.

“Whilst the ministry has forked out millions in the setting up labs for new applied subjects, boasting about them through costly campaigns being held daily, other schools including the said classroom in Sta Venera primary were left in a dilapidated state. The MUT renews its appeal to the educational authorities to carry out an audit of all school facilities in Malta and Gozo to initiate a comprehensive plan leading to the upkeep of the facilities.”

The UPE said this was not the only school left wanting. St Thomas Moore, St Ignatius and the Gozo colleges had several classrooms that do not have the necessary equipment such as desks, chairs and cabinets, Sansone said.

“Some works have been done in the summer months which unfortunately have spilt into the first days of the scholastic year. Educators working in the Gozo College as well as St Theresa College, have been welcomed with plumes of dust and scattered furniture all around the school. Due to this health hazard, educators had to clear up the premises on their initiative.

“The union is perplexed that the ministry treats its employees in such a manner. Could this be one of the many reasons why educators are leaving the profession?” Sansone asked, accusing the ministry’s central administration of not forking out enough resources to the heads of school to do the necessary maintenance work.