MUT in sharp reaction as MEA says government should not employ additional LSAs

Updated - See MUT reaction below - The Malta Employers’ Association has urged Government not to give in to pressure by the MUT to employ additional Learning Support Assistants (LSAs). The Association said that the number of LSAs in schools had mushroomed 'beyond control' over the years and the criteria for increasing this number should be based on whether there is actually a need for more LSAs, and whether they are affordable given the state of public finances. "If the supply of qualified LSAs exceeds the demand, then we should simply stop producing them. This is the reason why the Association is proposing setting up an employability index for courses, as obtaining a qualification is not an automatic right to a related job," it said. The Association expressed its concern that public sector employment is again on the increase, and said that it would be next to impossible to reach fiscal targets unless government payroll is kept in check. The MEA said that although it might be inevitable to boost manpower in areas where human resources are short of requirements, government should re-allocate its labour force to increase efficiencies, rather than resorting to additional...