The government has issued a call for applications for retired educators to fill vacancies in 83 subjects, sparking concern among teachers that the opening of the scholastic year next week will be marked by staff shortages.

The call was made by the Education Ministry in Friday’s edition of the Government Gazette. It is open to ‘retired public officers’ from various education grades who will teach at different State schools.

While the call is open until the end of the year, the ministry said that “due to exigencies” it would initially consider applications submitted by Friday.

The retired educators may apply to teach more than one subject. The subjects with missing teachers are taught in primary, secondary, post-secondary as well as alternative learning programmes.

This is not the first time the government has resorted to retired teachers to fill vacancies. In 2017, a similar call was issued as part of efforts to address shortages.

At the time, the education authorities had been forced to also turn to university students to fill various posts still vacant at the start of the school year.

The ministry’s call has raised concerns that staff shortages experienced in recent years persist, despite pledges by the government that the issue was being handled.

The teachers’ unions have also often warned the situation would only get worse with the introduction of several new subjects this year alone.

Teachers who spoke to Times of Malta said that while the government has in the past denied it had a problem of staff shortages, the move suggests teachers are still needed in different areas. 

Last month, Education Permanent Secretary Frank Fabri said the government would do whatever it took to ensure all available teachers interested in a job would be brought in, so that no students would be left without a teacher.

He also confirmed teachers were still needed for four of the nine new applied subjects being introduced this year.

Questions sent to the Education Ministry on these issues have remained unanswered.

Dr Fabri announced last week a call for foreign supply teachers to address shortages in Mathematics, English and Information Technology.