After months of negotiations, Church Schools and the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) have signed a five-year collective agreement for educators effective from 2023 until 2027. The signing was presided over by Archbishop Charles Scicluna today, at the Archbishop’s Curia in Floriana.
This collective agreement benefits approximately 3,200 educators working in the Secretariat for Catholic Education and 55 Church Schools across Malta and Gozo. They are already benefiting from significant salary increases, updated salary grades, enhanced allowances, and improved working conditions.
This agreement not only guarantees that employees’ needs are met but also safeguards and honours the unique identity of each Church school, which functions independently within established regulations. It acknowledges that while every Church school upholds its own ethos reflecting the founder’s vision, they all share the same core Catholic values as part of one educational sector. The contributions of major superiors of religious orders, rectors, directors, principals and heads of Church Schools were instrumental in reaching this agreement.
This collective agreement is adopted from the Sectoral Agreement signed by the MUT and the Government in July 2024. The agreement also allows Church Schools to organise their school day and school year according to their respective needs whilst ensuring that the nationally set learning and assessment hours for students are met, and the working hours for education grades are not exceeded.
Archbishop Charles Scicluna said, “This agreement is a clear demonstration that the invaluable mission of our educators needs to be protected, recognised and appreciated.” He expressed his gratitude towards those who contributed to the completion of this agreement and wished that “everyone who embraces the vocation of being an educator for our children and youth may find comfort in the knowledge that they are making a valuable and essential contribution to the quality of civil life and the future of the nation.”
General Director for the Secretariat of Catholic Education, Dr Ian Mifsud explained that this collective agreement is another step in honouring and recognising educators and the education sector in Malta. He expressed his gratitude towards all Church School educators who, with their utmost dedication guide the students to reach their full potential, for their benefit and all of society.
He stressed that every educator should be recognised for their valuable contribution. Dr Mifsud highlighted how, in recent years, the relationship between Church Schools and MUT has strengthened. He expressed gratitude to the union for having “secured unprecedented improvements in the financial package and work conditions for educators through the Government’s agreement while respecting the unique identity of the Church Schools.”
MUT President, Marco Bonnici spoke about the importance of this agreement for the MUT and all Church School educators. He explained that while it establishes parity between educators in State Schools and educators in Church Schools, it safeguards the specific interests of the sector and ensures Church Schools can provide quality education for all their students. He emphasised that “this agreement recognises the particular realities of the Church School sector and its educators while improving the work conditions and financial package dating back from 2023 until 2027.” Bonnici expressed his gratitude towards the MUT officials, council, staff, MUT members, the Church authorities and negotiators from the Secretariat for Catholic Education and Association of Church Schools.
This collective agreement was approved earlier this week by an absolute majority of MUT member educators working within the Secretariat for Catholic Education and in Church Schools who participated in this vote. This followed ongoing consultations throughout the entire process.