Teaching profession

I would like to refer to and expand upon the editorial ‘A teaching profession in distress’ (November 16). We have lately seen a lot of criticism: poor performance by students in exams, teachers quitting for better jobs, conflict with MUT over teachers’ salaries, and a shortage of teachers, especially in the subject English, resulting in some classes without a teacher and other gaps in English being filled by teachers of other subjects.

I blame the ministry itself for the problems it faces, for there is also the unethical treatment that teachers undergo at the hands of the ministry; on top of that, the low pay for a stressful job for which a teacher prepares with at least four years at university level, and five or six for those like me to get an MA.

A shortage of teachers, especially in the subject English, result in some classes without a teacher. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

I will illustrate this with my own recent experience with the Ministry, an issue that has pushed me away from ever going back to teaching (I am happily retired now), even though the Permanent Sec had once suggested I reapply to teach English for. As I mentioned above, there is a serious shortage of teachers of English, and I do come qualified and experienced with an MA in TESL, almost four years teaching experience in Harlem, New York, and also happen to be a native speaker.

So, what happened to push me away from a career I practiced and cherished for nearly 30 years? What made me accuse the ministry of unethical treatment of its teachers and creating its own problems? Well, it goes like this:

I had been given a two years extension after reaching retirement age. A third extension request was accepted, went through all the phases, but then suddenly refused – supposedly because of reaching the age of 65. However, after leaving school, I learned from the Gozo College principal that there were two reports, one from the ex-headmistress of Gozo College Sec and the English subject EO. These reports led to my "dismissal" from teaching. Now, one might argue, with good reason, that the ministry was in the right to “dismiss” a teacher who received negative reports. And I totally agree but, my arguments are: 1) the ministry kept me employed for two years with these reports kept hidden, and they never gave me any warnings in any shape or form 2) when I asked for copies of the reports to learn what the accusations were, I was refused, 3) it was the Ombudsman’s office that informed me of the DPO where reports are kept, and which I had a right to access. Nearly all the teachers I spoke to were unaware of this DPO’s existence 4) I have asked the ministry to investigate, to prove its accusations and I would be ready to apologise and accept the consequences – they refused, and even as I write this letter, I have absolutely no idea what the accusations concretely refer to 5) most importantly, before the ministry decided to take action on the basis of the accusers’ reports, doesn’t justice require they hear the accused’s side of the story? They eventually did ask for my side of the story: two years after the "sentencing" (just for formality’s sake).

My story is not just personal. It has ramifications for teachers in general, as it shows how teachers can be happily doing their job, and yet there are reports about them kept hidden in the ministry’s DPO, the existence of which many teachers are unaware of. 

If the ministry is in dire need of English teachers, then why did it “dismiss” a qualified teacher like me on the basis of reports that are total lies that it refuses to investigate? You are reaping what you have sown and it’s the students that are really suffering – students that either have no English teacher or are given a “stop-gap” substitute.

 Joe Falzon – Qala