Malta's two teachers' unions have issued differing reactions to the latest education ministry circular regulating how teachers express their views in public.
A new circular - PS 08/2025 - was sent to educators on March 4, superseding a circular from last September known as DES 28/2024.
The latest circular states that to ensure clarity and simplicity, public officers should familiarise themselves with procedures outlined in three separate directives and codes regulating political participation and the use of social media by all public sector employees.
It comes after last month, maths teacher Joanna Mallia claimed she was reprimanded by her headmaster Jonathan Portainer Mifsud after she publicly spoke out against a new Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) system that introduced constant assessments.
Mallia had warned Education Minister Clifton Grima that the new system was putting immense pressure on students during the Q&A segment of Jon Mallia’s show Il-Każin fuq Tokis.
In a statement this week, the Malta Union of Teachers noted that in the latest circular, the ministry referred to the central government policies as the only ones applicable to employees in the education ministry.
"This is what the MUT has been requesting, namely that educators are subject to the same policies concerning communication and media applicable to the public administration," the union said.
Consequently, the union said it had withdrawn its petition to revoke the September circular. It thanked its members and the public for their contribution to the cause.
However, the Union of Professional Educators insisted the latest circular does not repeal or amend the contentious provisions of DES 28/2024.
"Despite referencing older directives, the new circular avoids addressing core grievances raised, leaving restrictive measures intact," UPE said.
It said the framework of the September circular remained enforceable, perpetuating what it called a “history of restrictive treatment” by the ministry.
"The union urges the education commissioner to intervene, ensuring educators’ rights to civic participation without fear of reprisal."
Earlier this week, Minister Grima told Times of Malta he had no issue with teachers expressing their views on government policy in public.
"We encourage all educators to participate in debates on policy, and I have no problem with them expressing their views at public events as long as they are based on facts," he said.