Education Minister Evarist Bartolo today reiterated his call for other ministries, such as the Health and Family ministries, to cooperate with his ministry to help offer more services for the benefit of our children.

This newsroom pointed out to Mr Bartolo that he had made a similar statement last year when he said that a lot is said during Cabinet meetings that ministries will pull the same rope but when the meetings are over, ministers tend to go back to their offices and work solely for their ministry.  

“The problem,” he said, “is that a Cabinet government has a silo mentality. This even exists in the same ministry, let alone when it comes to ministries supporting other ministries. But this isn’t a problem which only exists in Malta, he continued.

The minister was speaking during the signing of a collective agreement between the Malta Union of Teachers - on behalf of professionals in the Student Services Support Grades - and the government held at the Education Building in Floriana.

The agreement aims to strengthen 2007 agreements whereby conditions of professionals who support students will be drastically improved. It will also upgrade the quality of service provided by many professionals at primary, secondary and post-secondary state schools.

MUT Senior Vice President Marco Bonnici stated that apart from improved conditions, this agreement provides two main benefits - progression and retention. These are crucial so that staff trained by the directorates can provide continuity of service and development.

“It is vital we ensure that professionals who are given training do not leave soon after; this agreement seeks to do that by making the conditions of work more attractive for such professionals,” he said. The union thanked all parties involved in the negotiations and so did the minister.