Teachers warn of ‘system collapse, staff shortages’

Updated at 8.50am with PN statement The teachers’ union has expressed fears that the introduction of 13 new subjects next year would result in more staff shortages, again accusing the government of lack of planning. Malta Union of Teachers president Marco Bonnici insisted on Thursday that with 13 new subjects in the coming scholastic year, the problem of an insufficient number of educators that persisted for years would only get worse. “If the government pushes forward with its campaign to get students to choose these new subjects, the MUT can foresee a situation where the Education Ministry will struggle to have all students covered with enough teachers,” he told the Times of Malta. At present, he said, such a problem existed with regard to a number of subjects, namely the three core ones: Maltese, English and mathematics. Mr Bonnici said the union had raised the staff shortage issue on several occasions, however, so far, “no formal discussions have been held”. “There are not enough educators to teach traditional subjects, let alone to cater for an additional 13 applied subjects being introduced next year. Despite this, the ministry is embarking on campaigns to attract students...