One year after police started investigating alleged physical abuse at a Ħamrun resource school, worried Maltese parents of severely disabled children are calling out a lack of trained staff and resources for their children.

The state-run Guardian Angel Secondary Education Resource Centre is facing allegations that at least three educators working there physically abused disabled children out of their parents’ sight.

The incidents date back to early 2023, and feature everything from allegations of hitting a student on the head to spraying non-verbal students with a “liquid” – with the educators currently suspended, Times of Malta reported.

Malta’s Disability Commissioner has also confirmed the lack of proper training and resources within the centre.

One parent who attempted to enrol her child in the school spoke to Lovin Malta in the wake of the allegations.

“There’s a lot of shady stuff going on… they don’t allow anyone into the school, the windows and doors in the school are covered so you won’t be able to see inside,” she alleged.

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“And I was informed that the school doesn’t allow visits from parents and they do not deal with parents as the school headmistress only deals with other educators – parents need to forward any issues to the INCO, to which she’ll answer,” she continued.

“Physical abuse has been going on for a very long time there; one person training there even reported the abuse, but was consistently told to ‘turn a blind eye’… however, she still called 179 to report the case, but it ended up being dropped anyway.”

Aside from the alleged abuse and lack of resources, parents reported instances where their children had to miss weeks or months of school due to suspensions or concerns about safety.

Some students reported returning home with bite marks, with other students having attended one primary school with one particular teaching style, only to move to this school and see any improvements disappear.

The Education Ministry, however, has refuted claims of resource shortages, including Learning Support Educators (LSEs).

Police investigations into the alleged abuse are ongoing, with a magisterial inquiry also in progress. Meanwhile, the Disability Commissioner highlighted the need for a therapeutic programme tailored to students with challenging behaviour, emphasising the importance of specialised training for educators and support from therapeutic professionals.

In response, the Ministry highlighted the existence of an Inclusion Department and assured that the National Strategy for Education would address all needs within the sector.

A recent study and the nomination of a fact-finding board aim to evaluate and improve the situation at the Guardian Angel school.

The Malta Union of Teachers dismissed the concerns and condemned what they deemed a “concerted attack” on the school and its staff. They stressed the importance of constructive improvements while safeguarding the school’s integrity and the well-being of students and educators alike.

Amid ongoing investigations and calls for reform, stakeholders advocate for a comprehensive approach to address the challenges faced by students and staff at the Guardian Angel Resource Centre.