The Education Ministry, the Education Division and the Malta Union of Teachers have been engaged in intensive discussions over the setting up of the much talked-about learning zones within schools in order to deal with those students who show signs of serious delinquency, MUT president John Bencini told The Malta Independent.

Mr Bencini explained that the students who show signs of unruly behaviour will be placed in specially equipped classrooms and offered an alternative syllabus. These classrooms will be run by two teachers who are meant to receive the necessary training beforehand on how to deal with such cases.

In his replies to questions about unruly behaviour in Maltese schools, which is the theme of this paper’s weekly focus, Mr Bencini said it is being planned that these learning zones will be serviced by psycho-social personnel as well as youth workers. The MUT president said these students will only return to their original classroom once the teachers and the multi-disciplinary team are convinced that the time is right.

Mr Bencini said the MUT feels “it has had enough” of this situation in schools, adding that the union anxiously awaits the implementation of these measures to deal with behavioural problems at school.

Education Minister Louis Galea and Malta Labour Party spokesman on Education Carmel Abela also shared their views on the issue.

Dr Galea said that parents should accept responsibility for their children’s behaviour, while Mr Abela believes that respect for people in authority, whatever this may be, is surely decreasing.