Ritianne Borg is the Director General for Educational services within the Ministry for Education. But she's suddenly shot into the limelight after issuing Labour's most shockingly autocratic directive.

She's ordered all teachers, heads of school and heads of college networks to refrain from participating in any TV or radio discussions.  She's ordered them to stop writing newspaper articles or appearing in podcasts or vblogs.  She demanded that no teacher contribute to any online publication.

"Educators wishing to participate in media appearances must seek prior approval from their line manager," her autocratic circular DG DES 28/2024 reads.

In true Soviet style, Borg added some complex bureaucracy for anybody daring to request approval.  "The Request for Approval must be submitted in writing, specifying the nature of the media appearance, topics discussed and the media house involved".

Why is Borg interested in which media house is involved?  Why should the media house be relevant to the decision to approve or otherwise the request submitted?

The whole circular is entirely absurd.  It's totally Kafkaesque. It's wholly North Korean in its impositions. Before you even think about going on a radio or TV show you must know exactly what topics will be discussed and tell the Generalissimo Ritianne Borg.  And if it's NET TV or Newsbook you can forget it. Writing to the DG for permission introduces an intentional delay such that even if approval is granted the radio show would have long been broadcast.

Any teacher wanting to participate in any radio or TV show is also responsible "to ensure that the request (submitted to the line manager) reaches the DG of the Department of Education Services".

What's even more shocking is that DG Ritianne Borg demanded that anyone given permission to write an article, participate on a podcast or vblog, radio or TV show "must adhere to strict representation policy". They can only state the Ministry's position and "reflect the policies, guidelines and objectives of the Ministry". And if you're still frozen in disbelief there was more - "participation should not result in the promotion of personal opinions". 

That is the real objective of the Ministry's ruthlessly autocratic directive - nobody can express their opinion, only the minister's view can be expressed.

If any teacher were getting any ideas of defying the minister's orders, Ritianne Borg warned - don't risk it.  She included in her circular the threat that "any breaches of the policy are to be referred to DG Department of Educational Services for review and ensuing action".  DG Department of Educational Services is Ritianne Borg herself.  In her own circular she threatened teachers with retribution if they don't obey, if they don't simply repeat the ministry's propaganda. 

Borg herself will review the seriousness of the breach and will deliver the "ensuing action".  What is she planning?  Flogging the headmaster during morning assembly? Humiliating the teacher in his own class by getting him to write out repeatedly on the whiteboard "I must obey the minister"? Forcing heads of college networks to apologise to students and staff on their knees before being insulted and tortured by their own students?

If her threats weren't despotic enough, Borg ordered the heads of school and heads of college networks to police her diktat.  "The head of school and head of college network should ensure adherence to this policy", her circular read.  How exactly?  That's not only insane, it's impossible.  What are heads of school meant to do? Read all the newspapers, online publications, follow all the podcasts and vblogs, trawl through all the TV and radio shows on all stations to police whether any one of their hundreds of staff has dared breach Ritianne's rules?  What does Ritianne Borg think school heads are?  The Stasi?

Presumably if those poor heads of school and college networks miss any contravention of Ritianne's rules by any one of their teachers they too would face Ritianne's "ensuing action".  Bizarrely, after the threats and intimidation, Borg added: "the participation and contribution of educators to the public debate are encouraged". 

If all this wasn't absolutely scary, it would be side-splittingly hilarious. But this isn't a joke. This is Labour in all its repressive autocratic glory.

There was total outrage.  The teachers' unions were understandably incensed. Graham Sansone from UPE commented "we've reached a ridiculous state where educators cannot express themselves....whoever remains silent over this circular is complicit with the government in silencing educators".

UPE was right when it commented that the Ministry's threats breach freedom of expression, which is protected in the Constitution.  UPE protested that the Ministry's orders created an atmosphere of self-censorship, driving teachers to avoid speaking publicly for fear of retribution.

Il-Kollettiv condemned the directive as "incomprehensible".  "A state that silences its academia is a totalitarian, cowardly and paranoid one... the Minister has no right to silence teachers because he feels threatened by criticism".

But the Minister wasn't backing off.  The PN issued a statement condemning the Ministry's circular which "stifles the freedom of expression of every educator... by stating that no educator may voice their personal ideas on education and dictates what may be said". Minister Clifton Grima hit back.  Labour accused PN of "running a campaign of intimidation against public officials" because "PN has no qualms attacking one educator by naming her".

Clifton Grima's ministry rebutted that "it's not true that we're trying to muzzle every worker in the Ministry".  He's right.  He's only trying to muzzle those who aren't sycophantic Labour loyalists and brown-nosers.

"The objective of that circular," Clifton Grima claimed, "is to acknowledge and encourage participation and contribution of educators in public debate".  But, he swiftly added, "that circular sets out guidelines of how public officials can participate on the media with the complete and correct information". In short, you can participate on the media if the Minister's DG lets you and if you parrot the Minister's message. As for those who dare defy the Minister and his DG, expect "ensuing action". Welcome to the Democratic Republic of Labour.