The Union of Professional Educators (UPE) is seeking a meeting with the newly-appointed Education Minister to address problems faced by the profession.

Addressing media, CEO Graham Sansone – accompanied by Director of State Schools Rita Catania and Financial Executive George Debono – called for an official meeting with Owen Bonnici where the union would present its concerns.

While congratulating Bonnici and thanking the previous Minister of Education Evarist Bartolo for his work, Sansone explained that with change come new hopes and expectations.

“Our hope is mainly to see that our new Minister of Education will take our sector to heart and nurture it the same way in which our educators nurture the students left in their care.”

Sansone also mentioned the importance of their being a level of equity between the UPE and the Ministry of Education. The UPE want to make sure that “this union is no longer subjected to functional discrimination, and that the Ministry’s work in safeguarding our educators’ well-being is justly regarded on par with that of other unions.”

It is for such reasons that the UPE has opened a call for a meeting with Bonnici where they could also discuss the issues that educators face every day. Some prominent concerns they mentioned include the ongoing change in methodology for teachers, the over proliferation of policies and the lack of resources there is at present.