Updated 2.15pm

The Malta Union of Teachers had received a belated invitation from the Ministry of Education to join a think-tank on the future of education in a COVID-19 scenario.

The union complained on Wednesday that the think-tank lacked representation of teachers, who are experts in the subject for discussion.

It said on Thursday that while it will send a representative to the government's think-tank, it still has issues about its composition since the members, while experts in their field, are not widely representative of the education sector.

It will therefore set up its own working group to study the subject, while the chairman of the group will sit on the government's own body.

An invitation will be issued to anyone wishing to join the MUT working group.

The MUT said it reserved the right to take action if proposals by the government's think tank have a negative impact on its members. It also urged the Education Ministry to focus on priorities in the current COVID-19 period.  

'Think-tank already included two teachers'

In a statement the Education Ministry welcomed the setting up of a working group by MUT but "clarified" that the think-tank announced on Wednesday included two teachers with years of experience in various levels of the educational sector.

"At the same time, the Ministry listened to and acted upon feedback which was put forward on the need to have due representation of teachers who teach everyday in the classroom."
 
The think-tank, the ministry added, will be consulting with stakeholders during the whole process.