Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/878567
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2017 News 56,000 students, 9,000 educators head back to school PAUL COCKS STATE, church and private schools will reopen over the com- ing days, welcoming more than 56,000 students and 9,000 educa- tors for a new scholastic year. 8,950 teaching professionals will be joining the 56,357 students in the back to school exodus, includ- ing 5,085 teachers, 3,173 learning support assistants (LSAs) and 692 kindergarten assistants. There will be 600 more teachers and 200 additional LSAs starting school this year than there were in 2016. The Education Ministry said that in the upcoming scholastic year, 4,432 Year 4 students will be receiving their tablets under the government's 'One tablet per child' initiative. 4,387 students received the tab- let last year and will be making full use of it in Year 5 this year, as they learn to harness three new apps on coding, information through videos and Author Premier. The ministry noted that the School for Visual and Performing Rights would be opening its doors this year, giving students the op- portunity to specialise in one of four art forms – drama, mu- sic, dance or media. Specialised studios had been prepared and equipped over the summer. Traffic concerns The return to school spells ma- jor traffic headaches for commut- ers and motorists alike. The presence of enforcement of- ficers on the road – police, local enforcement officers and Trans- port Malta officials – is set to in- crease, especially at crucial junc- tions during morning peak hours. Officers will relay information to the traffic control centre, which in turn will be giving out directions to officers on site. The same infor- mation will be made available to radio stations for them to air dur- ing the breakfast shows. To help clear an area as quickly as possible if a car breaks down, Transport Malta will be deploy- ing a number of tow trucks on standby. For traffic accidents that do not require the assistance of police or wardens, motorists are urged to always keep front-to-rear forms in their car. Transport Malta, which now has its own rapid intervention team, will be deploying officers on motorbikes to assist in minor accidents. The officers will be equipped with spray markers and front to rear forms, to help clear the road faster. Qormi man, 55, grievously injured A 55-year-old man has been admitted at Mater Dei Hospital after suffering grievous inju- ries in a traffic accident early yesterday. The police said they were called to the scene of the ac- cident in Triq Mikiel Anton Vassalli in St Julian's at around 5am. Initial investigations showed that there had been an acci- dent involving two vehicles – a Toyota Tercel driven by a 24-year-old man from Swieqi and a Mitsubishi Pajero Junior driven by a 55-year-old man from Qormi. An ambulance was called on site and transferred the Qormi resident to Mater Dei Hospital for treatment, where he was later certified to have suffered grievous injuries. Police investigations are con- tinuing.