The Archdiocese of Malta said Thursday it is preparing a contingency plan to cater for students and staff of St Albert the Great College within its educational structures should the school not be in a position to function at the beginning of the 2022/23 scholastic year. 

The Archdiocese, through its Secretariat for Catholic Education, has for several weeks been actively involved in talks aimed at identifying a way forward acceptable to all parties following the decision by the Dominican Order — which owns and operates the college — to dismiss its former headmaster but is disappointed to note that the issue has not been resolved just days ahead of the new term.

While the Secretariat’s prime objective remains to encourage a positive outcome to the discussions between the Dominican Order and the Malta Union of Teachers, it has undertaken the responsibility to draft plans for an alternative scenario in the eventuality that talks break down. 

A spokesperson for the Archdiocese said: “Parents expressed understandable concern over the uncertainty surrounding their children’s education during a  recent meeting with Archbishop Charles Scicluna and he will honour the commitment he made to safeguard the students’ welfare which is, and must remain, our overriding priority”.

The Archdiocese wishes to thank the educational authorities for their cooperation as well as the Secretariat for Catholic Education, the Council of Religious Major Superiors and the Church Schools Association who are working tirelessly to bring this matter to a successful conclusion.