Following the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) complaints about forced attendance leading to class disruption, the ministry of education has reached an agreement with the union to draw up a plan to address the situation.

Schools have been instructed to send in a list of students who have missed a substantial amount of school days the previous year, and within 10 working days, a plan is to be developed to guide students who have fallen behind. The students will be enrolled in one of the assistance programmes within their own school, or if need be, have a tailored programme designed.

This week, this newspaper reported that schools have witnessed the regular attendance of students who previously used to miss a substantial number of school days, merely for their parents to avoid being fined, but because they have no interest in learning, have ended up disturbing their fellow classmates. This, following the government's decision to fine parents who encourage absenteeism without justification.  The union argued that in itself measures to address absenteeism are required, however not if it comes at the expense of others. The MUT said that the government had failed to come up with a plan to reintegrate students who have fallen behind. In addition, the MUT had issued a directive ordering teachers not to enter classrooms in which there are students present who have missed 20% of the previous year. The directive has now been dropped.

The ministry has now agreed to cooperate with the union to draw up an individual educational plan to identify the individual needs of all students who followed regular unauthorized absenteeism. The ministry is committed to taking action to assisting schools and guide these students through different educational pathways that has been specifically designed and rolled out in schools.