• The Church Schools Association (CSA) deplores the way that the MUT expressed its opinion regarding recruitment of staff in Church Schools by using sweeping statements and ignoring the procedures as advocated in the agreement between the Church Authorities and the MUT for teaching grades in Church School (2011, section C paragraph 3 on Grievance Procedure). Such repeatedly bullying attitudes by the MUT towards the Secretariat for Catholic Education and the Church Schools leaders is neither respectful nor conducive to any progress in education in Malta.

    Once again the MUT are proving that they do not have a clue about the Catholic ethos of Church Schools when they frivolously latch it on to centralization and bad practice in recruitment. Whilst the CSA totally agrees with the Secretariat for Catholic Education in disapproving of any alleged irregular recruitment practices, it reiterates its position against advocating centralization when the educational trend in Malta is towards devolution and autonomy of schools. It is indeed intriguing that the MUT is travelling in the opposite direction. Our model of respecting the different charisms of schools within a collegial structure is successful (even academically) and gives a very valid contribution to a large proportion of Maltese students.
    We feel offended by the way MUT chose to tackle allegations and invite them to adopt a dialogical approach that respects the dignity of our profession.

    The Church Schools Association (CSA) committee:

    Fr Jimmy Bartolo SJ (Coordinator), Fr Eric Cachia SDB, Fr Mark Ellul, Fr Silvio Bezina, Ms Mariella Vella, Ms Mariuccia Fenech, Ms Daniela Camilleri Sacco, Mr Reuben Mifsud