“After the education reform law last year, the agreement with the MUT is a great step forward towards giving Malta’s youths the best education possible and opening a new chapter in the development of Malta’s educational system,” explained Minister Louis Galea who presided over the signing in a ceremony in Floriana  

The agreement will also see to the needs of educators, who will be provided with profession support, more classroom resources, modern teaching tools and better allowances to carry out their duties.  

The system will be reformed through two directorates. The Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education will focus on the curriculum and its completion in class, through the surveillance of an Educational Inspectorate. On the other hand the Directorate for Educational Services will ensure that all schools will have sufficient resources for educational services to be given according to the needs of students.    

The agreement is creating a new basis for early childhood education and care where all Kindergarten assistants will be required to have a Diploma as from 2010 and a Degree and warrant issued by the Council of Teachers as from 2015. The Kindergarten sector will also undergo technological reforms and computers will be introduced in classes to aid teaching.    

At higher educational levels, the Counseling Services will be separated from Career Guidance, while support given to students and teachers will be strengthened through a multi-disciplinary team of psychologists, social workers, youth workers, health and safety officers and discipline prefects among others.    
The agreement also sees to providing a formative assessment of students which is not based solely on their accomplishments during examinations.    

As part of improving information technology in schools, all secondary school teachers will be provided with a lap top, like their primary school counterparts. Allowances for teacher grades, including head teachers and their assistants will also be improved.  

The agreement also calls for persons employed with the Education Division in the grades of Instructor, or persons bearing a permanent teacher warrant, to have equal rights and opportunities as regular teachers.  

Speaking of the agreement, MUT President described the agreement as “historical”, adding that “the leadership of schools will be gathered under a number of colleges with completely new structures.” He further augured that Malta’s schools will become more “student friendly and no longer be seen only as an institution where examinations are taken”.