Teacher qualification

Dr Carmel Borg, Dean of the Faculty of Education, has every reason to say that "the faculty considers the present Master's route to teaching as an insult to the thousands of fully qualified teachers" (The Sunday Times, October 10).

This situation is the direct result of our 1988 Education Act which makes it possible for people who are not teachers to teach in our schools by granting a permanent teacher's warrant on the strength of a Master's or a doctoral degree in whatever profession or area of study.

This is an anachronistic provision which seems to come from the time when the only people who were capable of doing any teaching were those who had received some form of schooling themselves. The Faculty of Education resents it and the teachers' union is against it but, unfortunately, it is still there.

It is earnestly hoped that a new Education Act, which, I understand, is now being finalised, will do away with this provision and ensure that the only people who are entrusted with the education of our children are those who have been properly trained to do so.