The Church shools associated has condemned what it said was “irresponsible” behaviour by a teacher’s union over its reporting of Covid-19 cases.

It is understood that the association was referring to a Facebook post by UPE – Voice of the Workers, where the latter said it had been notified of “multiple alleged cases of COVID-19 at De La Salle College Junior School.”

The Secretariat for Catholic Education and the Association of Church Schools said the UPE was causing “unnecessary alarm and anxiety” among students, parents, and educators.

“Church schools are doing their utmost to inform parents and school staff as soon as a positive case is identified in one of the schools. This is being done in an open and transparent way to always ensure that the health and safety of students and staff remain a top priority,” it said.

“Since their opening in September, Church schools have constantly remarked that such statements by the UPE are not helping the current situation in Malta, which is already a daunting challenge for all schools. Thus, the Secretariat for Catholic Education and the Association of Church Schools call on parents to stay in contact with their children’s schools to keep abreast with objective information about COVID-19 and safety procedures in schools.”

It said that, in this challenging time, Church schools will continue to take the necessary health care measures to ensure the right to education to more than 17,000 students.