February 22, 2016 at 4:20 pm
MUT Press Release: Education policies should be kept out of partisan politics
The Malta Union of Teachers, as announced earlier this week, has been in talks with the Ministry for Education and Employment to represent the various concerns raised by its members on the Learning Outcomes Framework (LOF). Among various concerns raised by the Union were the uncertainty felt by teachers in the primary and secondary sector and the varying versions of information reaching teachers and other educators during training sessions, or information meetings, which was creating an atmosphere of resentment and confusion.
Both the Ministry and the Union agreed that the LOF system in our compulsory schooling classes is not just a reform, but it is a change in mentality and culture. Both sides also agreed that for the LOF to be successful it needed a careful implementation strategy and an agreement on conditions of work.
It is thus with great regret that the MUT notes that such a delicate issue, which found a basis of agreement, became the subject of a partisan controversy. While the Union appreciates that politicians and political parties have their own agenda, it repeats its appeal for the umpteenth time that education policies that can ultimately shape Malta’s future should be kept out of partisan bickering. Moreover the Union appeals to the Government to inform the Opposition about developments going on and to the Opposition to enter into discussions with other stake holders and give its professional views on the subject at hand.
