President of the Malta Federation of Organisations Persons with Disability (MFOPD) Marthese Mugliette has said in a statement that, ”without any consultation with disability NGOs or with the CRPD, the educational authorities have decided that, from Monday, the 8th of June, some students with disabilities will be removed from their mainstream school environment and required to participate in a three-week out-of-school learning programme in a segregated setting.”
Ms Mugliette went on to say that ”to add insult to injury, their Learning Support Educators (LSEs) will remain at school and be assigned other duties required by the school.”
She stressed that ”MFOPD firmly maintains that students with disabilities have the same rights as all other students. They are entitled to attend school and benefit from their educational programmes until the end of June, just as their peers do.”
The MFOPD highlighted that Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) ”requires States Parties to ensure an inclusive education system at all levels and to prevent the exclusion of persons with disabilities from free and quality primary and secondary education.”
It added that furthermore, Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states clearly: “Everyone has the right to education.”
The MFOPD stressed that, ”as of June 2026, these fundamental rights continue to be disregarded by the Maltese authorities.”
”These students want to continue attending their schools,” Ms Mugliette said, ”working towards the goals outlined in their Individual Education Plans (IEPs), and receiving support from their own Learning Support Educators.”
”This is their dream. It is also their right,” she said.
Ms Mugliette concluded by urging the educational authorities ”to make inclusion their priority and to ensure that these students can continue their education in their chosen school environment, for their full benefit and development. Make this your project!”