Teachers' union fears state schools may be privatised

The Malta Union of Teachers is worried that state schools may be privatised.

Union president John Bencini said the MUT would only accept reforms that would bring about positive changes in schools. The union was prepared to back any reforms that would improve the quality of education. However, he lashed out at the Education Ministry for not engaging the MUT in discussions before preparing a document outlining the proposed changes.

Mr Bencini said that a letter sent to heads of schools last month informed them that the document - Establishment of school groupings leading to the formal creation of school clusters - containing the proposed changes was being finalised so that it would be presented for the government's approval. It also informed them that the pilot project of such changes could effectively come into force on January 2.

The document, he said at a rally for teachers, included the suggestion that local state schools would be grouped into seven clusters. These clusters failed to include the Junior Lyceums and he wondered what that meant.

Mr Bencini expressed his worry about teachers falling under the board of governors of their respective cluster, which had been mentioned by Education Minister Louis Galea. He asked whether this would not in itself constitute a privatisation of schools. Mr Bencini said that during a meeting with the minister, the union representatives asked how much such a reform would cost since the board of governors would not work for free.

The meetings held with the ministry are another issue bothering the union. MUT secretary general Joseph De Giovanni explained that when the union representatives were called in for a meeting at the ministry they were told that this was an informal one. He said the representatives were presented with the document and asked for their reactions but they could only give preliminary comments before a council meeting was held.

Mr De Giovanni said the representatives posed a number of questions, adding that although some of them were cleared this was still not enough. He stressed that this was not proper consultation, insisting that although the union was not against change, this could only take place through proper negotiation.

Mr De Giovanni said that if issues had been addressed over time, there would have been no need for radical changes now.

Union representatives yesterday met Opposition leader Alfred Sant and Carmelo Abela, Labour spokesman on education. At the meeting, Dr Sant described the proposed reforms as radical, primarily affecting the management of schools. He said this could make a lot of difference to the future of schools and it was for this reason that the union was therefore requesting proper negotiations.

Mr Bencini complained that although the national minimum curriculum was drawn up five years ago, 80 per cent of its content had not been implemented.

Dr Sant said the MLP gave absolute priority to education because it linked the sector to the need of economic progress.