The Malta Union of Teachers does not agree with the Malta Labour Party’s proposal to add another year through a reception class between kindergarten and primary schooling, saying that it will cost millions of euros that could easily be invested elsewhere.

Speaking to The Malta Independent yesterday, MUT president John Bencini pointed out that instead of implementing the proposal of a reception class, it is better to invest further in the training of kindergarten assistants – for example.

Mr Bencini pointed out that the idea of a reception class was not something new but had been presented in a Labour document on education on May 2006.

One section in the education document proposed including a transition year in primary schools between kindergarten years (1 and 2) and Year 1.

However, Mr Bencini pointed out that this measure was not discussed with the MUT before it was issued.

“There was absolutely no consultation on this subject with the union,” said Mr Bencini.

The union president pointed out that it is difficult to say what will happen, from an educational point of view, if this measure is implemented.

“I believe that children attending Kindergarten One and Two are adequately prepared for Year One – there is no need to add another year,” said Mr Bencini.

He pointed out that according to the new educational reforms recently announced by the government, by 2015, all kindergarten assistants will have a university degree.

Furthermore, he added, part of the collective agreement the union recently signed focuses on improving the qualifications of kindergarten assistants through the attainment of a diploma.

“If you stop to think about it – there are around 60 primary state schools in Malta. If this proposal is implemented then each school will have to each add another two classes amounting to a total of around 120 teachers,” he said.

Mr Bencini pointed out that some schools already have a problem of classroom space and, if this extra year was included, they have to see where they are going to put the children.

“This does not take into consideration Church and independent schools – they also will have to introduce it if it is implemented in state schools,” he said.

However, classroom space is not the only issue at stake.

“There is a great shortage of students who graduate as primary school teachers – whereas before there used to be around 100 graduates, now there are only around 15 primary school teachers graduating every year,” said Mr Bencini.

Furthermore, he said, since there will be a shortage of qualified university graduates for this extra year, schools will have to employ supply teachers who will only have O- or A- levels as qualifications.

“Are these the people we want to teach our children especially during those formative years?” queried Mr Bencini.

If this measure is implemented, he added, then a clear explanation will have to be given as to where the human resources will come from.

Mr Bencini pointed out that the long-term effects of this measure have to be considered.

“Students will no longer finish school at 16 but now will finish at 17. We already have a problem of managing to control students who are close to finishing school, let alone when they will turn 17,” he said.

The union president queried whether the Labour proposal seriously considered the consequences of increasing the scholastic passage of a student. “Did they consider the consequences of students starting sixth form at 17 and, eventually, starting university at 19?” he said.

However, Mr Bencini said that he agreed with the MLP’s proposal to decrease the number of children in classes – especially during kindergarten years.

“The union had put forward this proposal to the government and it was rejected – we were very disappointed as we believe that the children need more individual attention during those years,” he said.



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In a statement issued yesterday, Labour Party spokesman on education Carmelo Abela said that it was not true, as claimed by Education Minister Louis Galea, that the MLP reception class proposal amounted to a repetition year for children. In fact, he said, teachers who knew what the situation was in schools had made the proposal.

The idea behind the reception class proposal was to combat illiteracy so he could not understand why Dr Galea was trying to make parents and teachers declare themselves against it, Mr Abela said.

The reception class year would be one of transition from informal education at kinder to the first year at primary. Much preparation would be needed to introduce it, and heavy investment in human resources, for instance.

Mr Abela said Malta lagged badly in the Lisbon Agenda targets and Dr Galea could not understand the spirit behind the proposal because he had not given much attention to improve classroom teaching.

On Tuesday, Dr Galea protested with the state-funded Public Broadcasting Services for ignoring a press conference he gave on Monday, which he said was of interest for all parents but was not reported in the PBS news bulletins.

He went on to say that PBS had on various occasions reported MLP speakers on the subject but had failed to cover the analysis made by him.

However it seems that the minister did not receive any feedback from PBS and, as a result, yesterday sent another letter.

In the letter addressed to the chairman of the Broadcasting Authority, Dr Galea referred to the first letter he had sent them and pointed out that “so far, PBS did not even bother replying let alone remedy the situation.”

Furthermore, he said, to add “insult to injury,” during an interview on a current affairs programme aired on Tuesday evening, PBS gave the Opposition Leader the opportunity to reply to the minister’s press release – the same press release that was completely ignored by the national station.

Dr Galea said that these actions amounted to discrimination and a breach of constitutional rights and, as a result, requested the Broadcasting Authority to urgently investigate and remedy the situation.