Educators and students should not suffer added stress and anxiety due to a Government that is undermining the education sector, the Nationalist Party said on Wednesday.

In a press conference by the Nationalist Party in front of the Malta College of Arts, Science, and Technology (MCAST), Shadow Minister for Education and Trades Justin Schembri, Shadow Minister for Social Dialogue Ivan Castillo, and Shadow Minister for Youth Bernice Bonello criticised the Government's failure to reach a collective agreement for the College's educators, "leaving them in limbo for nearly three years."

"The Government's complete disinterest has created an atmosphere of tension within this institution, which is vital to our country, offering education to around 12,000 students and providing employment to nearly 1,000 people across various levels. These students and staff have been suffering the consequences of directives that were implemented because the government simply disregarded them."

It is the Government's duty, in every case, to ensure that it reaches an agreement with the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) as soon as possible to protect the conditions of all educators and employees, and to guarantee that students receive their right to an uninterrupted education, the PN representatives said.

They said that the Labour Government's foot-dragging over the MCAST collective agreement reveals how "insensitive" this Government is to workers' needs.

"Instead of investing in workers, the Labour Government squandered public funds on corrupt contracts and scandalous rackets. We have a government that has abandoned the negotiation table, a government that does not seek collective solutions, and a government that has threatened unions and their members with court action. A government that reaches this point is one admitting it does not believe in social dialogue."

"Additionally, we have a government that is toying with the present and future of students, who already face enough stress. Instead of doing everything it can to incentivise students, this Government is placing obstacles in their path and hindering their studies, risking the loss of jobs they had secured for after graduation."

The speakers, while expressing gratitude to James Calleja, who served as Principal at MCAST for several years, also extended their best wishes to Stephen Vella, who is now leading the College. They guaranteed that a Nationalist Government would allocate funds to quickly address deficiencies in workers' conditions.

"As it has always done, it would ensure that nothing and no one hinders either educators or students. Unlike this Government, it would ensure that public funds are used wisely and fairly, restoring the dignity that educators deserve and giving students the peace of mind they need during their educational journey."