Education Minister Dolores Cristina described the decision taken by the Malta Union of Teachers to boycott today’s launch of the National Minimum Curriculum framework as "disproportionate".

The MUT said that it had to resort to such action due to delays and mistakes in the payment of allowance to teachers for supervision duties.

Speaking during the launch of the curriculum framework at Pembroke primary school Dolores Cristina condemned any shortcomings or mistakes which the MUT made reference to earlier.

However she expressed her disappointment that MUT President Kevin Bonnello did not inform her of his decision no to attend, even though he had spoken to her earlier in the day.

During a hastily convened news conference, Mr Bonello said that the MUT's decision was not politically motivated.

Teachers who opted to perform supervision duties during breaks and after school hours were entitled to an allowance of €9.81 per hour.

The union registered an industrial dispute in January because payments for September and October, due in December, were not made. The union had set ultimatum for 11 February.

By this day payments were issued, but eight schools were left out completely and there were many mistakes in the payments made to the other teachers.

"We received a tsunami of phone calls from complaining teachers," Mr Bonello said.

He warned that the MUT would issue directives for industrial action unless the mistakes were corrected quickly.