Images of two ministers inside a public school classroom with students have irked independent candidate Arnold Cassola, who wants to know why politicians are allowed into schools while parents are not.

COVID-19 protocols explicitly forbid parents or guardians from entering their children’s schools, with access restricted to teachers, students, management and “authorised personnel”.

But those protocols did not appear to apply on Friday, when Education Minister Clifton Grima and Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia visited San Ġwann primary school and distributed packets of indigenous seeds to students there.

Independent candidate Arnold Cassola.

All students in local schools are to receive seeds of indigenous trees, collected from locally growing trees. 

Cassola has now asked the children’s commissioner to explain why COVID-19 protocols for schools did not apply to the two ministers.

In an e-mail sent to recently-appointed commissioner Antoinette Vassallo, the independent electoral candidate said he was perplexed by the photos.

“So parents cannot enter their children’s schools for two whole years, but two ministers who do not have children at the school can go into small children’s classrooms, while we’re in the middle of an unofficial electoral campaign,” Cassola wrote.

Farrugia speaks to children about the seeds, as Grima and teachers look on. Photo: DOI

“Can you please let me know who gave the two ministers this waiver? And why parents entering school are a COVID risk, but two ministers inside a classroom is not a problem?”

The Children’s Commissioner is responsible for promoting the welfare of children and ensuring Malta adheres to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. While the commissioner can flag concerns, run educational campaigns and make recommendations, her office does not carry any executive powers.