Last updated 5.20pm, adds government reply to PN statement

Plans on how pupils will return to schools in September amid the coronavirus pandemic will be published within the week, the education minister has promised. 

Owen Bonnici said work on the guidelines will be concluded "in a matter of hours" ahead of issuing the plans "in the coming days".

He said the education ministry is in regular talks with the Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci about the proposals.

"We cannot make our students face another year of remote learning, children especially need to have a community around them to foster learning," Bonnici said.

Children are due to return to their desks on September 28 but educators are demanding a road map for the planned reopening.

The Union of Professional Educators has also highlighted the concerns of teachers across the island who are worried about reopening during a surge in the number of cases. 

Speaking after a presentation on restoration work conducted by MCAST in St Katarina's chapel, Bonnici said he is confident the guidelines will serve as reassurance and provide a safe environment for educators and students alike.

All relevant stakeholders, including parent associations, are being consulted to make sure the guidelines are reviewed by everyone, he said.

The brief conference on the restoration works was also addressed by Gudja's mayor, Marija Vella, and MCAST's principal, James Calleja. 

Both emphasised the importance of applying learning directly in practice and how the restoration of the chapel was an opportunity for students to work in the field. 

The principal pointed out that the restoration course is becoming increasingly popular and that "professionals in the field are highly sought after."

Dr Bonnici concluded the press conference by stating that the project is an example of "the centre of excellence" which they want MCAST to become. 

He said that the ministry will work to keep on improving MCAST and that they are looking forward to further collaboration with local councils and churches alike.

MUT warns will not allow ministry to roll over educators

In a statement later, the Malta Union of Teachers said it will not allow the ministry to roll over educators and said it was unwilling to discuss in haste especially if decisions had already been taken.

It warned it was ready to take all necessary actions to safeguard the interests and occupational health and safety of educators and students.

In spite of the meeting held on Monday, it still did not know in which scenario would the guidelines be used or what they were to include, it said.

It insisted these could not be issued without the input of educators and it was clear this would not be possible if they were published overnight.

It had not even been decided how teachers were to teach in the next scholastic year, the MUT pointed out.

The union said it was currently in consultation with everyone, including members from the church and independent sectors to ensure that the voice of educators was considered at every stage.

PN complains of government incompetence

The shadow minister for education, Clyde Puli, said it was unacceptable that just weeks before schools are due to reopen, the government had not completed the protocols and guidelines for school heads, teachers and parents.

Such incompetence meant that parents and teachers did not have peace of mind, more so since no consultation meetings had yet been held with school heads, parents and trade unions.  

Government: Leave politics out of it

The Ministry of Education in a reply to the PN statement said all the people should pull at the same rope with the aim of ensuring that schools reopen on September 28. Politics should be left out of the discussion.  

It was important that children had access to the best education while safeguarding their health and that of their teachers.

The  ministry said planning for the reopening of the schools started early and consultations had been held and would continue to be held, with all stakeholders.