Following the allegations by the Malta Union of Teachers regarding inappropriate conduct during interviews, the Ministry for Education and Employment has launched an immediate investigation into the serious allegations being put forward.
If proved legitimate, the alleged conduct is completely unacceptable to the Ministry; steps will be taken against those behaving in such a way. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry has sent an official letter to the MUT requesting them to “collaborate and substantiate their claims so that a proper investigation may take place.”
The Ministry said that until now, the Ministry had never received any reports by individuals in this regard. “However these allegations will be treated very seriously as the Government is fully committed to having a fair and inclusive selection process.”
The MUT had in a letter to the Ministry of Education & Employment said that it had received various allegations that in “some interviews female applicants were asked personal questions which are arguably illegal in this day and age.”
The Union quoted examples of the questions; “How do you expect to carry out this role properly when you have two children to look after?” or like “Do you intend to have children in the coming months soon after an eventual appointment?”
“Moreover various members have reported that in many cases they were interrupted while giving answers, that they had to hurry up, that they had only a few seconds to answer a question,” the Union said.
The Union also stated that “one particular member even reported that while answering the questions put forward one interviewer allegedly replied to his mobile phone and held a conversation. In other cases members were contradicted and belittled while giving their answers to the questions, with some members being shouted at and being told they were wrong during the interview itself.”