The ongoing talks with the Malta Union of Teachers are leaving positive results "over the few classes left without an educator due to union directives", the Education Ministry has said.

The Malta Union of Teachers had previously registered an industrial dispute over the way some 150 peripatetic (support) teachers were deployed to primary school classes on the eve of the start of the school year. Later, 16 students getting ready for their first ever period of teaching practice had their classes shifted at the last minute, as the Education Department tries to make up for a shortage in primary school teachers. 

In a statement on Thursday, the Education Ministry said that it hopes that dialogue between all parties will lead to a solution, and appealed for this to be done by all unions "to continue making students the priority."

Education Minister Justyne Caruana augured that the students who are about to start their teaching practice. She said that this week the government signed 140 warrants for Education Faculty students, who will teach in schools to practice in their craft. "For the first time, these students are being given a €825.60 payment for those who have 4 weeks practice and €1,032 to those who will have 8 weeks' practice.

"The ten university students who were assigned primary classes were given the same year group so that their preparatory work would not be lost."

Work to attract more students to the education course is also leaving positive results, so much so that there was an increase in applications for this course, the Education Ministry said.