• Government proactively working with all stakeholders
• Lessons learned and protocols improved
• Plans are robust and in keeping with best practice

The Government is disappointed, but not surprised, that the GSD have again piggybacked onto the arguments of others without bothering to learn the facts and offering no constructive solutions of their own.

Westside School has worked closely with the Department of Education’s Strategic Health Lead over the past year, specifically in relation to the school’s Emergency Response Policy. The GSD know this because the Minister discussed the policy almost immediately with both Mr Azopardi and Mr Reyes on the day of the events in question, and at the earliest possible opportunity made a statement to Parliament which Mr Azopardi welcomed.

The Government is engaging positively with the NASUWT to further improve existing protocols, with more meetings set for next week. Additional clarification on the school’s emergency response preparedness has also been shared today with NASUWT and the public. If Mr Reyes had bothered to contact the Minister for Education to ask, the same would have been shared with him.

Instead, the GSD have chosen to publicly denounce the Minister for Education’s character, even going so far as to accuse him of deliberately misleading the public. This is a serious accusation which betrays the Shadow Minister’s lack of respect for the Office and its holder, and which should be immediately withdrawn.

The Minister for Education, the Hon Prof John Cortes, said: ‘It’s disappointing that Edwin, a lifelong friend and a former teacher himself, has chosen to politicise and aggravate a matter that is being worked on collaboratively and positively by all other stakeholders. I assume he is under pressure from the less responsible elements in his Party and whilst he looks after their political interests, misguided as he may be in doing so, I will continue to work to make sure that EVERY pupil and teacher in EVERY school are safe.’