Help to prepare missionaries

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Mission Fund for the donation in support of the mission of the Missionary Society of St Paul (MSSP) in the Philippines.

Besides the work we are doing in favour of the less fortunate in the city of Manila and in the province of Bataan, we also run a formation programme for brothers who wish to embrace the missionary life within the Missionary Society of St Paul.

This is, in fact, my main ministry here. That means that many of the young people who join the society are coming from developing countries like the Philippines, Pakistan and Vietnam. The grant helps to shoulder some of the expenses involved in their formation.

I make an appeal to the generous hearts of many to continue donating to the Mission Fund so they can continue helping many Maltese missionaries working in developing countries.

Please deposit or transfer your donations to any of the following accounts: BOV: IBAN No: MT70VALL220130000000 16300798022; APS:  IBAN No: MT67APSB77079005231820000 820762; BNF:  IBAN No.: MT94BNIF1450200000000087963101; and LOMBARD: IBAN No: MT65LBMA05000000000001440822115.

The Mission Fund also accept used stamps.

For further details, you can also visit the Mission Fund website www.missionfund.org.mt.

Once again, I wish to thank the Mission Fund and all their benefactors for their unceasing support.

May God bless you all.

FR HECTOR ATTARD MSSP – Manila, the Philippines

Persisting in error

On September 25, Times of Malta published an article regarding the ministry of education’s focus on the well-being of students and educators. This is a noble goal and pivotal in any education system. However, to what extent is the ministry practising what it preaches? I am speaking from my experience as a teacher, now retired.

I was given two extensions of service after reaching retirement age in spite of the ministry of education having at the time, a report accusing me of serious unprofessional conduct that had serious negative results on students’ well-being and academic achievement. I was unaware of these reports at the time and had never received a charge or warning.

There are year 11 classes getting ready for O-level exams which still have no teacher of English while others are being taught English by those unqualified to teach it. FILE PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

The ministry was obliged to investigate and bring the accusations to my attention, which it never did (I found out about them after nearly two years through a third party), thus showing a lack of interest in the students’ well-being.

I categorically denied all accusations to the extent of my asking the ministry to investigate, which it still refuses to do.

My further request for extensions of service were denied – the result: the loss of a very qualified and experienced teacher of English, which the ministry sorely needs.

Last June, I was asked to return to teaching. Incredible, right? My condition was: retract the false reports and apologise. But these were not forthcoming. And what is the present situation? There are year 11 classes getting ready for O-level exams which still have no teacher of English while others are being taught English by those unqualified to teach it.

So, it seems that the ministry’s ego and arrogance supersede the needs of the students.

The ministry should practise what it preaches. I always taught my students that it is okay to make a mistake as long as one is decent enough to admit it and not repeat it.

JOE FALZON – Qala