The Malta Union of Teachers has written to the MCAST Principal to inform him that the union was surprised to come across a call for applications published in local media for the post of Institute Director - Engineering and Transport.
Speaking to this newsroom, MUT president Kevin Bonello said that the engineering institutes that are about to be merged are all headed by a director and therefore there is the luxury of two directors to choose from, questioning what would happen to the two directors in the event that another director is found following the external call for applications.
“Would these two experienced directors be put aside?” he asked. Mr Bonello also questioned why an external call for applications has been issued when an internal call should have been issued first.
The union said the situation is of concern since at face value, it appears to be a move to remove experienced people who proved themselves to make way for others.
This newsroom asked Education Minister Evarist Bartolo what would become of the two directors to which he replied: “None will be fired and they would be redeployed,” but he did not point out that they could apply for the post.
This newsroom asked Mr Bartolo whether the two directors can apply for the post as well, to which he replied in the affirmative. This prompted this newsroom to ask why the need was felt for an external application to be issued.
While stating that an internal call would also be issued, he also insisted that an external one needed to be issued as well.
Explaining further, he said that the institutes are moving towards level 6 courses and therefore the directors should at least be of “level 7”.
When asked what level the current two directors are, he said that they are level 6.
The MUT on the other hand, said that the excuse that this institute is a new one, because the old institutes will be closed, is not valid and will not be accepted.
The MUT asked whether this is the way MCAST thanks its present directors and asked the principal's office to recall this call for applications and issue an internal call for which present incumbents may apply. If the situation persists, the union said it will be considering all options.
In a reply, MCAST said: MCAST refers to the press release issued by MUT with regards to a call for the post of Director of the Institute of Engineering and Transport.
MCAST would like to point out that it is normal practice that calls for application for senior management posts are issued both internally and externally. All internal applicants are welcome and encouraged to apply for such posts and on many occasions internal applicants are selected for such posts followed an open and transparent selection process.
In the case of the new post of Director of the Institute of Engineering and Transport which has come about through the amalgamation of three institutes, the Principal of MCAST has met with the directors currently running the present institutes, assured them of MCAST’s high regards for their work and committed that they will be retained at Director level within specific roles which are needed at MCAST , irrespective of whether they are selected or not for this new role. MCAST values the work of all its staff and has made a strong commitment that, through the transformation process which is being proposed for MCAST, the work of all staff members will be furthered valued and strengthened.