Headmaster admits questioning teacher over lack of approval for her public comments

UPDATED 10.19 HRS: The Malta Union of Teachers is finally doing something about this. They just announced they have sent a petition to the government against the circular. More updates later.

A headmaster has admitted he questioned a teacher over comments she made about the education system in public which were not previously approved. The Headmaster defended himself saying that he didn’t want to intimidate the teacher and only wanted to talk, saying also that this issue should not have gone out publicly  in the media.

The teacher said she was reprimanded for comments on the education system in Jon Mallia’s discussion programme Il-Każin. You can also watch the teacher’s comments from this link.

Unfortunately, what the headmaster is failing to admit is that he is actually enforcing a circular issued by the Department of Education that requires educators to seek permission from their superiors before making any public comments about the education system. The gagging order, which is quite rare and very particular in the history of the Department of Education, was issued recently by the Minister of Education, Clifton Grima.

Strangely enough, the Malta Union of Teachers is not pushing back against this circular, and it is also sad to see headmasters trying to enforce this obscene circular instead of standing in solidarity with their educators.