The ministry was reacting to a statement issued recently by the Malta Union of Professional Psychologists, in which the union stated it was registering an industrial dispute with the Education Division. The union had complained that its requests were not being taken note of and warned that it may order industrial action.

In its statement, the ministry said the educational psychologists’ claim for a revision of their allowance will not be considered before they conform with the working hours pertinent to their practice. Educational psychologists are not teachers and therefore cannot expect the working conditions of teachers, even though they may have obtained their psychology degree after having served as teachers.

Educational Psychologists should follow the working hours of other psychologists employed with the government, the statement said. “It stands to reason that the psychosocial problems that some students face do not disappear during the holidays.” The ministry does not need psychologists that work till 2.30pm or stop for summer, Easter and Christmas holidays.

The problem seems to have arisen after the University of Malta issued an educational psychology degree programme for teachers holding an established teaching record. The move was made in reaction to a shortage of such specialised professionals.

The last educational psychologists to be inducted and given a posting pertinent to their rank, the ministry complained, expected to maintain their working conditions as teachers.

The call for applications never suggested that educational psychologists would be given different conditions to those of other psychologists employed with the government. The issue now has been stretched beyond its limits and the Ministry expects it to be concluded in the interests of all students, in line with the working conditions pertinent to government-employed psychologists.