In a press release to 'clarify' some points about statistics regarding teachers in the new scholastic year, the Education Ministry explained that Government schools saw an increase of 155 new teachers, whilst others changed their contracts. 

"As a scholastic year is going to begin, more than 56,000 students and more than 9,600 educators will return to school in the coming days," it said. Government schools saw an increase of 155 new teachers, 162 teachers that renewed their contract to a definite contract and 47 teachers who changed from a definite to an indefinite contract."

"The Ministry also has approximately 600 other teachers in post-secondary institutions and other entities, including voluntary entities," they added.

Yesterday, the Malta Union of Teachers said that government is being deceitful when it says there will be 600 more teachers at the start of the scholastic year on Monday.

The government is trying to take the people for a ride as the number contrasts sharply with reality, considering that there are only 200, while another 100 will graduate this year and will not necessarily take up a teacher’s job.

If what the government is saying is true, there would not have been a need for teachers who got promotions to remain in the classrooms because they cannot be replaced; students following different syllabi would not need to be grouped in the same class; no primary classes would need to be joined; no teachers would be given full load; no retirees would be asked to rejoin; no teachers would be asked to teach in different schools and no teachers would be complaining to the MUT.

The union appealed for the government to be correct in the figures given and for the profession to be shown respect.