The ongoing dispute between the teachers' union and the government over a collective agreement for MCAST lecturers and staff put students in an “unacceptable” situation, Education Minister Clifton Grima said on Monday. 

Discussions about a new agreement have been going on for over two years.

Current directives by the Malta Union of Teachers have imposed strict limits on communication between students and lecturers. Some students are unaware of their examination marks as academic feedback is withheld.

Last Friday, around 100 MCAST students gathered at the Paola campus to protest the dispute - this was the third by MCAST students in one year, as ongoing disputes drag on. 

The week before, MCAST lecturers kicked off the new academic year with a protest over the failure of college management to agree to a new collective agreement after a delay of almost three years.

Education Minister Clifton Grima on MCAST collective agreement. Credit: Giulia Magri

“As a father, it is unacceptable that students are in this situation,” Grima told journalists. 

“I do not want to point fingers at anyone, but it is unacceptable that students are suffering. I have no issue with saying this, as this is what I believe.”

Grima added that all those involved in recent discussions - MCAST, the Malta Union of Teachers and the government - wanted to reach an agreement “as soon as possible" and progress had been registered. 

“This collective agreement impacts the lecturers, but also the students,” he said. 

“The most important thing is the principles of respecting our educators and safeguarding the welfare of our students. One cannot happen without the other.”

At the beginning of the month, Prime Minister Robert Abela said he wanted a “fair and swift resolution” regarding the MCAST collective agreement and was confident a solution would “soon be found”.

On Sunday, Abela once again said he was “optimistic” that an agreement would be found “in the coming days”.

Speaking to Times of Malta, MUT president Marco Bonnici said further meetings with the Office of the Prime Minister were scheduled for "this week and the next".

Bonnici said last week the union had held two long meetings with the OPM.

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