I should like to make some concrete comments regarding the teaching profession. I myself am proud to state that I laboured hard for almost 45 years as a teacher. I entered the profession at the age of 19 way back in 1958. I started as a primary teacher with classes of 47/49 students. It was no easy task. After school was over I sped home with loads of copybooks to correct and hours preparing lesson notes, doing teaching aids and filling daily, weekly, a monthly notes and reports. I was so exhausted that I had no free time at all except Sunday. I never gave private lessons although I encouraged my students to phone or come to my house for advice and clarifications. Believe it or not my pay was Lm19 monthly.

Time rolled by, I moved to other sectors like teaching Braille and cane work at the Centre for the Blind in Sta Venera and when it was closed I went to teach in the Secondary Section and Junior Lyceums. I taught among other subjects Maltese, English, Social Studies, and ended up teaching Arabic and PSE.

Looking back I feel proud that at the age of 70 years and back at university doing an M.A. Course in European Studies, I came in contact with lecturers who were former students of mine.

Every profession needs to be taken seriously and no one can deny that education is one of the pillars upon which our country can move forward. Shame to those who try to belittle the hard work done by teachers in all sectors.

Citing holidays and half days to imply teachers have it so good needs to be countered by the fact that with our climate conditions in summer, it is superfluous if not ungrateful to say that teachers are a privileged class. I challenge anyone to ignore this and be grateful that Malta becomes a country of excellence in education.

Victor Mario Abela

Sliema