The Malta Federation of Organisations of Persons with Disability (MFOPD) has criticised a decision that will see some students with disabilities removed from their mainstream school environment from next week, warning that the move undermines their right to inclusive education and was taken without consultation with disability organisations.
In a statement, the MFOPD said that the decision will result in some students with disabilities to be removed from their mainstream school environment and placed in a three-week out-of-school learning programme, adding that the move breaches their right to inclusive education.
The federation said that, without any consultation with disability NGOs or the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD), educational authorities had decided that, from Monday 8 June, some students with disabilities would be required to participate in a three-week learning programme in a segregated setting.
MFOPD said the decision runs contrary to Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which requires states to ensure an inclusive education system at all levels and prevent the exclusion of persons with disabilities from free and quality primary and secondary education.
The federation also cited Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that "everyone has the right to education".
"Yet, as of June 2026, these fundamental rights continue to be disregarded by the Maltese authorities," the statement said.
MFOPD further criticised the fact that while the students would be removed from their schools, their Learning Support Educators (LSEs) would remain at school and be assigned other duties.
"To add insult to injury, their Learning Support Educators will remain at school and be assigned other duties required by the school," the federation said.
The organisation insisted that students with disabilities have the same rights as all other students and should be allowed to remain in school until the end of June.
"They are entitled to attend school and benefit from their educational programmes until the end of June, just as their peers do," the statement said.
The federation added that the affected students want to continue attending their schools, working towards the goals outlined in their Individual Education Plans and receiving support from their own Learning Support Educators.
"This is their dream. It is also their right," the statement said.
MFOPD urged educational authorities to prioritise inclusion and ensure that the students concerned are allowed to continue their education in their chosen school environment, for their full benefit and development.