The government quantified these benefits and decided that €26.8 million will be split across all independent schools to ensure that tuition fees don’t experience a drastic increase.

Last July, the Association of Independent Schools contacted the ministry to express its concerns about the significant and abnormal increase in fees that parents with children in independent schools would have to pay.

There are currently 8,244 students in independent schools which employ 967 educators.

“With this agreement, we are showing that we want the best educational environment for the children of this country. An investment through which we are protecting families from increases in the educational fees of their children to ensure that the possibility of free choice remains in the educational path of Maltese and Gozitan students. This is also a confirmation of the esteem we have towards educators in the various sectors of our country.”

Through the agreement, the government will give this significant financial aid until 2029 to independent schools to ensure that parents do not experience more than an increase of between 6% and 12% in fees per year, which has been the practice of these schools in recent years.

Among others, the agreement covers the one-off allowance that was given in the sectoral agreement of €1,000 to each educator and also the allowance of €1,000 that was given to educators in primary school. It also covers all arrears.

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