Watch: Teacher confronts education minister over strict media rules

A secondary school teacher said he had to get approval from five different people before speaking to the Education Minister publicly, then used the opportunity to challenge the very same system.

Luke Fenech, a secondary school teacher, asked a question on the last edition of il-Kazin fuq Tokis hosted by Jon Mallia. The guest on this Friday’s episode was Education Minister Clifton Grima, in an episode organised in collaboration with KSU, the University Student Council.

Fenech explained that to appear on the programme and ask a question to the minister, he needed the approval of the head of the school, the principal of the college, the director general, the directorate general education services, and the permanent secretary. 

Fenech said, "I had to ask five kinds of headships to appear here. Yes, this doesn’t just apply to teachers, but this is a form of intimidation for me not to come here... In other words, you are saying tread carefully because many people have their eye on you."

In November, the Education Ministry said teachers needed written permission before speaking to the media and had to tell their bosses what they intend to speak about.

The rule forms part of Circular DES 28.2024, sent out by the Education Ministry and applies to educators at all levels.

Fenech took issue with the policy during the broadcast, arguing that it undermines teachers’ freedom of expression.

He said the circular requires educators to “Ensure that their comments reflect the policies, guidelines, and objectives of the ministry.”

Responding to this, he said: “Therefore if I am criticising this policy, I am breaching the same policy.”

The circular also warns that “Statements perceived as politically-biased or compromising the educational system's neutrality are to be avoided.” To this, Fenech said: “Education is not neutral. It is impacted by the same politics that forms that education.”

The directive also includes a media content guideline stating: “Participation should not result in the promotion of personal opinions, political ideologies, or any content unrelated to education.”

Fenech pushed back, asking: “Can I give my opinion or not?”

He ended his intervention by quoting the circular’s stated aim: “The participation and contribution of educators to the public debate are encouraged. Establishing guidelines will ensure that while the debate on educational matters is healthy, this is done without compromising the system's integrity.”

Minister Clifton Grima with presenter Jon Mallia.

To this, Fenech asked: “How can we see if the system has integrity if we can’t even criticise it freely?”

Fenech’s remarks were met with loud applause from the audience.

In response, Minister Grima said the teacher had made “valid points” and agreed that people should be free to speak constructively and factually.

However, he disagreed with the claim that the policy was intimidating, noting that most workplaces – public and private – require staff to get approval before speaking publicly.

“As long as I have been minister, I don’t know of one case where someone was told not to go on a programme. And if they were told not to go, that is not ok,” he said.

Minister Grima has insisted he has no issue with teachers expressing their views on education policies, so long as it is done constructively and responsibly.

Earlier this week, Education Commissioner Vincent De Gaetano also weighed in, saying the circular amounts to a blanket ban on teachers commenting publicly about their profession.

“This blanket restriction is clearly in violation of teachers’ and educators’ right to freedom of expression since such a limitation cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, be considered to be reasonably necessary… in a modern democratic society,” De Gaetano said.