The distorted picture of teachers is getting even more warped as time passes. I am referring to the statement made by the Ministry of Education itself (as reported in The Times of 25 January), which claims that teachers (it generalized) today take home e22,027! I do not know how the Ministry came to this conclusion.

I have been working as a teacher for 16 years, receive a degree allowance of e467 a year and some e200 for supervision duties and I do not even gross the amount that the ministry claims, let alone take it home. In fact, I have the P3 form to show that my net earnings were way less than e18,000! So how did the ministry arrive at the sum of e22,027?

The Ministry has not yet given me an answer. No surprise as it has not yet answered my accusations of discrimination, as I stated in my letter to The Malta Independent on Sunday of 29 November. I can prove my claims; can the ministry prove theirs?

Still, could anyone at the ministry explain the discrepancy between the reality of my take-home income and what is claimed in the reported statement of 25 January?

I hope the ministry is right because that would mean I am being underpaid by some e4,000 – can I expect a cheque in the mail any time soon?

Joe Falzon

QALA