The ongoing construction work adjacent to the Victoria Middle School in Gozo has been stopped during school hours as per the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT)’s request and will take place after school hours instead, the Union said in a statement.
Last Thursday, the MUT shared a video showing students in a classroom at the school in question with heavy machinery just outside their classroom, making it near impossible for them to concentrate or focus on work.
The MUT had threatened to take industrial action unless construction work is stopped during school hours saying that, if no action is taken, members at the school are to report to work at the neighboring senior school instead. This was anticipated to happen on Monday (today).
Following questions sent by this newsroom, the Union referred to a statement it released on Friday on its website in which it announced that such industrial action has been suspended after it was informed that construction work in this area will stop during school hours.
“The MUT is pleased to notify that piling construction work with heavy machinery adjacent to the boundary walls at the Victoria Middle School in Gozo has been stopped during school hours as per request and will start taking place after school hours on Monday,” the statement read.
It added that union will continue discussions with the Ministry for Gozo and the Ministry for Education and Employment on the way forward regarding the works from next week onwards to avoid as much inconvenience as possible to educators and students.
In its previous statement, the MUT described the school as being “sandwiched” between two massive construction projects, which could lead to “serious health and safety shortcomings and to unbearable noise from the sports complex project”.
"Students and educators should not be put at risk and everything has to be done to protect and safeguard everyone at the school." The Union had said that pupils and teachers could not hold conversations in corridors, let alone concentrate on lessons in classrooms.