Parents around Malta are calling on the government and on individual schools to allow children to remove their masks during some parts of the school day.

Several petitions have started making the rounds and parents are using the hashtag #Unmaskthekids across social media to make this united call.

At the moment schoolchildren have to wear face masks all day and can only remove them during physical activity and while eating. This means that masks are worn on the school van, in class throughout lessons and even during school breaks.

In a Facebook post being shared by many parents, the owner of clothing brand Gaia and Nina posted a photo of her unmasked daughters and wrote: "These are my kids - without a mask. They are only 6 and 8 years old but unfortunately don’t remember a life without masks... They currently only play within their class bubble during break-time at school. They can’t socialize with other kids of their year outside of their class bubble during their school break - it’s not allowed as it’s a covid risk. Now that restrictions are being lifted all over the world, including here in our island of #Malta, no restrictions for kids wearing masks at school have been lifted here in Malta."

Meanwhile, over the past weeks, the government has relaxed measures which were introduced to contain the spread of the virus. These include the elimination of vaccine certificates to enter establishments as well as the removal of masks in public open spaces from March 14, including the unvaccinated.

But as restrictions in schools remain unchanged, parents are protesting against the senseless situation in schools that contradict what is happening outside. This contrast was highlighted even further during recent political rallies where large crowds gathered - while children have to remain apart and in bubbles at school.

Online petition to government 

In one online petition titled ‘Do not make mask wearing mandatory all day in primary and secondary schools in Malta’ over 2,500 parents so far called on the Health Minister and the Superintendent of Public Health to revise mask-wearing policies in schools.

The parents wrote that, while they understood the need for certain restrictions, they called on health authorities to not make it mandatory for pupils to have to wear a face mask in classrooms during lesson time.

The parents noted that Malta had a wide vaccine rollout and that enforcing face coverings on children in schools disrupted their social interactions and caused further psychological damage.

“Besides, early education curricula, which lay the foundation for good literacy and numeracy skills, rely heavily on the use of phonics through the teaching and learning of sounds, which is made so much more difficult when students’ mouths are covered,” they wrote. 

#Unmaskthekids

Meanwhile, in another petition doing the rounds, concerned parents of San Anton School children called on the school’s board to make changes in the way they implement the government guidelines that were not mandatory. They asked for children to be divided into bubbles by grade rather than class  - allowing friends in different classes to meet at school - and for masks to be removed in the playground.

They also asked for children to be allowed to keep their books at school, rather than carry the heavy load daily, and to resume sportdays and the use of the library and laboratory.

Meanwhile, on social media, parents have been sharing the hashtag #Unmaskthekids accompanying a photo of a child’s face covered in a mask in a call to free children from senseless restrictions.

One mother posted a photo of her masked child in class and wrote: “This is what my son looks like every day for over 6 hours per day while sitting 2 meters away from his fellow students in class. Whilst adults gather at restaurants, political events etc unmasked. Restrictions will ease further soon - FOR ADULTS. No mention of kids in schools. Because they have NO VOICE. Let’s keep them masked. They OBEY."

Last week Times of Malta reported how parents and educators are calling for the relxation of school mask-wearing rules - where guildines are implemented differently by different schools.

According to figures released in parliament at the beginning of February, around 30% of children between five and 11 were fully vaccinated, while just over 40% have received a single dose of the vaccine. Commissioner for Children Antoinette Vassallo also urged the health authorities to keep children’s rights and well-being as a priority.

“All the precautions are there not only to protect children but also to keep schools open. I believe that face-to-face learning is important for children,” she said.

Sarah Azzopardi-Ljubibratic from the Malta Association of Parents of State School Students, expressed her concern on how children’s educational experience has been disrupted for two years. The teachers' unions both said measures in the community should reflect the measures in schools.