Earlier today another meeting was held between the Prime Minister, the Minister for Education and the Permanent Secretary, together with the Malta Union of Teachers, the Secretariat for Christian Education, the Association of Church Schools and the Association of Independent Schools.
During the meeting a presentation was made of the pandemic situation and the effect on schools by Professor Charmaine Gauci, the Superintendent of Public Health. The assistance of Dr Vincent Marmarà was also requested so that the parties could have an analysis of the pandemic statistics.
The conclusion of all this was to give a clear assurance that, as schools are opened with mitigation measures, there is a greater tendency for cases to decrease in the community because families participate in fewer social activities. This provides more protection for children and educators and helps curb the pandemic nationwide.
Therefore, schools can open from Monday 11 January with all measures introduced in accordance with the protocols agreed with the Superintendent of Public Health. The parties also recorded this agreement:
- The procedure for contact tracing and implementation of protocols will be strengthened;
- The procedure for disease certificates presented in schools will be improved;
- School staff will be a priority in the vaccine implementation program as the vaccine is currently being given to health workers and the elderly;
- All parties will have a weekly update through updated figures on the effect of the pandemic in schools;
- The government and all parties are reuniting in a working group to discuss and review work on the pandemic on an ongoing basis.
Schools in all sectors will be open from Monday 11 January with all mitigation measures in accordance with the protocols and modalities that were in place by each school before Christmas.
