Head of school in outburst over unfit parents

Schools across Malta have been plagued by truancy and unfit parents who do not give priority to the education of their children, according to Cospicua primary school head Marion Falzon Ghio. Speaking at a public consultation held by the government this evening, Ms Falzon Ghio said schools   faced a constant problem of pupil absenteeism. This, she said, was  down to parents not prioritising education. She said schools were constantly being faced with parents who abused of social benefits but did not provide their children with basic necessities, such as hygiene. "We have pupils who have not had a uniform for several months. Their parents are on benefits but have money for tattoos, cigarettes and hair and nail extensions. Many pupils have had recurring head lice infestations for more than three months," she said, adding that enforcement against abusive parents was not effective. The vociferous school head insisted that pupils not given basic necessities were more likely to avoid attending school. Another factor leading to increased truancy was the lack of monitoring of doctors’ certificates. She said that she had seen students sick certificates which covered different periods on...