Only a few days away from the start of the scholastic year, staff, parents and stakeholders at the Saint Theresa College Saint Venera Primary School are off to a rocky start following the deployment of the school’s entire Senior Leadership Team (SLT).

The decision to allocate the educators to alternative schools follows allegations of “bullying and mobbing”, with the Ministry for Education issuing a statement on Friday stating that, after analysis of a report submitted by an independent board, the Ministry took action, including immediate changes, to ensure the wellbeing of students and educators in order to “start the academic year with a sense of serenity and harmony”.

The Union of Professional Educators (UPE) has since communicated its position on the matter, including claims of scandal and inaction, with their latest social media post met with a barrage of comments praising the school’s head and expressing their dismay with the UPE’s actions and resulting decisions.

Earlier today, MP and PN spokesperson for Education Justin Schembri that the decision to remove the school’s entire administration, a head and 5 assistant heads, two days before the start of the scholastic year is absolutely irresponsible, as was the “lack of action or assistance to avoid to ordeal that happened yesterday” from the part of the Education Department.

Meanwhile, members of the Saint Theresa College Primary staff have sent out an open letter, claiming that the allegations and articles relating to the school head in question are false, highlighting that they covered only one side of the story. “The head of school and other SLT members were not the only one’s to suffer abuse from this teacher through her actions and behaviour. The class children also fell victim to such behaviour,” the statement read.

Ftit tal-jiem ilu fuq il-midja soċjali telgħu ħafna artikli u allegazzjonijiet fil-konfront tal-iskola, l-kap tagħna u wħud mill-membri tal-SLT.  Il-verita’ hija li dawn l-allegazzjonijet huma kollha foloz u dan jixhduh il-provi konkreti li hemm, kif ukoll in-numru kbir ta’ kummenti u reazzjonijiet f’dawn l-aħħar jiem hekk kif ġew ikkomunikati t-transfers.  

B’dispjaċir ninnutaw li l-allegazzjonijiet u artikli li ttellgħu semmgħu biss verżjoni waħda tal-istorja u dan wassal biex intefa’ tajn fuq il-kap tal-iskola u wħud membri tal-SLT.  Il-kap tal-iskola u wħud mill-membri tal-SLT ma kinux l-uniċi li sofrew abbuż min-naħa tal-għalliema permezz tal-azzjonijiet u l-aġir tagħha.  It-tfal fil-klassi wkoll sfaw vittmi ta’ dan l-aġir.

Diversi membri tal-istaff kienu ilhom sena sħiħa jikkumbattu ma’ din l-għalliema. U dan qed jixhduh pubblikament il-ġenituri stess.  Fil-fatt ilhom minn Jannar jintbagħtu ittri u jintalbu laqgħat ma’ diversi nies fid-Dipartiment biex jittieħdu passi fuq din il-problema – dan sar kemm mill-membri tal-istaff kif ukoll mill-ġenituri.  Għalhekk għażilna li nieħdu dan il-pass biex kulħadd ikun jaf il-verita’.

Nixtiequ nagħmluha ċara li aħna nilqgħu b’idejna miftuħin lill-membri l-ġodda tal-amministrazzjoni, għax dawn wara kollox ġejjin biex jaqdu dmirhom. Ser ngħożżu l-memorji, l-esperjenzi u t-tagħlim li għaddejna minnhom f’dawn l-aħħar ħames snin.

While stating that they will welcome the new administration members with open arms, members of the Saint Theresa Primary staff took the decision to shed light on the issues experienced over the past months.

What do you make of this?

#MaltaDaily