Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546398
THE Nationalist Party has raised concerns over the con- ditions faced by students sitting for their MATSEC resit exam- inations, following reports that some have been forced to take their exams in unbearable heat due to a lack of air conditioning. The PN said that, over the past few days, several students and exam invigilators have com- plained about the conditions in which resit examinations are being held during the peak of summer. It added that a number of par- ents have also reported that their children are facing the same conditions. Describing the situation as "unacceptable," the party called on the government to draw up a clear and urgent plan to ensure that schools are equipped with adequate cooling and ventila- tion systems, particularly dur- ing heatwaves and examination periods. It also proposed installing photovoltaic panels on school rooftops to generate electricity that could help power air-con- ditioning systems in class- rooms. "Students are sitting for exam- inations that may be decisive for their future, and they have the right to do so in a safe and dignified environment," the PN said. "We cannot speak about im- proving the quality of educa- tion when even the most basic conditions are not being guar- anteed." The party also underlined the need for greater investment in school infrastructure, saying this should not only take the form of new projects but also include continuous preventive maintenance of existing build- ings. It said quality in education does not begin with slogans, but with providing students and ed- ucators with the environment they deserve. "If we truly want to make a leap forward in quality, we must first ensure that the founda- tions are sound," the party said. "It is evident that major short- comings still remain in those foundations, including in the most basic of areas." The PN concluded by saying it would continue listening to stu- dents, parents, and educators in order to develop concrete solu- tions aimed at ensuring schools provide a safe and dignified learning environment. 4 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 2 SEPTEMBER 2026 NEWS MUMN reports over 20 cases of abuse against foreign nurses this year MORE than 20 serious cases in- volving physical abuse, violence and verbal harassment against nurses have been received by the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) during this year. The union raised concerns on Tuesday over the escalation of abuse, racism and violence against foreign nurses working at St Vin- cent de Paul Hospital (SVP) and Karen Grech Hospital (KGH). They said they firmly believe that the actual number is considerably higher. "Many foreign nurses are reluctant to report incidents be- cause they fear retaliation, intim- idation, problems with patients' relatives, or threats to their em- ployment and residency status. Fear is silencing victims." They said they are also receiving reports of foreign nurses threat- ened with deportation, with pa- tients or relatives claiming they have "connections" within Iden- tity Malta and can have visas re- voked. According to the union, foreign nurses are being subjected to racist abuse, including being told to "Go back home, you scum." MUMN will not accept a situa- tion where a nurse comes to work to care for vulnerable elderly pa- tients and instead becomes the victim of violence, racism and humiliation. They highlighted that over the past couple of years, reports of incidents of abuse and violence against nurses increased tenfold, with swearing, verbal abuse, physical assaults, threats, intimidation, objects thrown at nurses, hair pulling and punches a few of the actions listed by the union that nurses are faced with daily. According to MUMN, 85% of nurses at KGH are third-coun- try nationals, while foreign carers make up around 98% of the caring workforce across both hospitals. Without them, the union said, Malta's elderly-care system would struggle to function. Yet the workers the system de- pends on are increasingly facing racism, intimidation and vio- lence, MUMN said, adding that it will not stand by while foreign healthcare workers are abused af- ter coming to Malta to provide an essential service to the elderly. The union said it is deeply con- cerned that hospital administra- tions often place greater emphasis on protecting the rights of abusive patients than on protecting nurs- es' right to work free from vio- lence, threats and harassment. "Being a patient does not give anyone the right to assault a nurse. Being elderly does not give anyone the right to abuse a nurse," the un- ion said. Being a foreign nurse, it added, does not make anyone an acceptable target for racism. MUMN said it has repeated- ly had to step in before hospital management takes action, add- ing that in numerous cases little happens unless the union issues directives or applies pressure. Racism against foreign nurses cannot become the "new normal", the union warned. Foreign nurses come to Malta to work and care for patients, providing the same professional standard of care as Maltese nurses, often under diffi- cult circumstances. The union said some are target- ed for being foreign, citing reports of patients deliberately injuring nurses, including one who repeat- edly drove a wheelchair into staff to harm them. The union said hospital man- agement faces significant limits on discharging or transferring elderly patients, leaving some ag- gressive patients believing there are no consequences for assault- ing or abusing staff. Even when police reports are filed, MUMN said, action does not always lead to prosecution. Security staff may be called to in- tervene, but coverage is not availa- ble around the clock, and staff are not always able to physically step in when confronted with an ag- gressive patient, the union added. MUMN made a two-fold appeal: for the public to recognise the contribution of nurses and car- ers, including foreign healthcare workers, and for the Ministry for Health to set up a clear legal and administrative framework con- firming that racism, aggression, threats, violence, verbal abuse and harassment against healthcare workers will not be tolerated. Hospital management must be given the legal authority to act when patients repeatedly assault, threaten or seriously abuse staff, the union said, including powers to transfer or discharge patients involved in persistent violence or serious abuse. "Punches, kicks, hair pulling, objects being thrown, deliberate collisions and racist threats are not minor incidents. They are acts of violence," the union said, warning that the situ- ation could grow worse if left un- addressed. MUMN urged the Health Minis- try to stop viewing these incidents as isolated disciplinary issues and instead see them as a rising cri- sis of violence and racism against healthcare workers maintaining Malta's elderly-care system. The union pledged to defend all nurses and carers facing abuse, regardless of nationality. "Nurses go to work to care for patients, not to be as- saulted, threatened, humiliated or subjected to racism," the union said. The Government must act before someone is seriously hurt, it added. JULIANA ZAMMIT jzammit@mediatoday.com.mt According to the MUMN foreign nurses are being subjected to racist abuse, including being told to 'Go back home, you scum' PN raises alarm over 'unacceptable' heat during MATSEC resits EVA BRANNON ebrannon@mediatoday.com.mt File photo