Minister for Education Justyne Caruana has given details about trial extension of childcare services, which will take place in six centres across Malta.
She explained that work is also being carried out to identify centres in Gozo to address the needs of Gozitans, especially those working in Malta.
Starting from next October, the centres will be extending their opening and closing hours, starting an hour and a half earlier, ie from 6am instead of 7:30am and close an hour and a half later, i.e. at 6pm instead of 4:30pm.
The trial service also includes them opening on Saturdays between 6am and 1pm, which they currently don’t do.
The trial centres that will open in October are in Birgu, Birkirkara, Naxxar, Pembroke, Zebbug and Qawra.
Dr Caruana said that with the extended hours it is predicted that 72 more children will be able to participate – a 20% increase in these test centres.
She went on to say that a tender was issued on the 18th of July to attract the human resources needed to provide this service.
About 385 children currently attend the 13 centres of the Foundation for Educational Services.
The Minister said that in these centers, as is currently the case in all FES centers, the service will be provided in accordance with all existing policies, and in accordance with the national standards attached to the centres and all protocols will be complied with, including any issued by the Health Authorities.
Photo: DOI/Pierre Sammut