Parents who have so far relied on Klabb 3-16 to mind their children after school hours have been left scrambling as long lists of children have been left without a place at the child-minding service.
Klabb 3-16 is a government-run after-school child-minding service which keeps children between the ages of three and 16 who attend state, Church or independent schools from 33 localities around Malta.
The club is seen by many as the integral bridge across the gulf between when children leave the school premises and their parents’ expected working hours, which for many represents hours in which they would be unable to care for their children without suffering a disruption at work or an indirect loss of income.
The club also keeps children during school holidays throughout the year and runs in tandem with the state-run summer school Skolasajf.
However, at the start of the school year at the tail end of September, a number of parents told Times of Malta they had surprisingly failed to secure their children a place within the club, leaving them scrambling to secure childcare during working hours at the last minute.
One mother, whose child attends St Clare’s Primary School in Sliema, said her family’s income would take a hit as a result of not being able to secure a spot in Klabb 3-16.
Personally, this will have a huge impact on us
“We applied for Klabb in summer, way before the deadline, and a few days before the start of school, we were told our son had been placed on the waiting list,” she said.
“Instead of closing applications, they were extended, even if it was full already. I tried contacting the Ministry of Education and the Foundation for Education Services (FES), but no one seems to know when they will open new classes again.”
She said that parents vying for a spot at the Sliema school estimate there are some 40 children on the waiting list.
“Personally, this will have a huge impact on us as we still haven’t gotten a spot, school has already started and my husband has had to switch to part-time somewhat uncertainly, as we both worked full time and Klabb has always been the only option for us,” she said.
Parents in Attard, Pietà and Birkirkara also reported facing similar issues after being told their child did not secure a spot at the after-school club, with waiting lists running into the tens of children.
Parents who spoke to MEP candidate Arnold Cassola said a similar situation had emerged in St Paul’s Bay, with parents being told their children failed to make the cut for the club only two days before the start of the school year.
“How can they only advise us about this 48 hours before school starts through just an e-mail?” the parent asked Cassola.
Correspondence from FES sent to parents in Sliema told parents the club was full and could not accept any more children for safety reasons, adding that it is in the process of recruiting more staff to satisfy the needs of children on the waiting list.
In reply to questions, a spokesperson for the Education Ministry said that it had seen a significant increase in applications for Klabb 3-16 this year, with 1,200 more applicants vying for a place than a year prior. The ministry is “actively” searching for additional part-time playworkers and extended opportunities to school staff to contribute after school hours to meet the increased demand.
“Despite this increase, our commitment to finding solutions for all families remains unwavering, just as we’ve successfully done in the past,” he said.
“We are confident that we will overcome this challenge effectively.”