Cap. 606 Art. 2Interpretation.  Cap. 605.    S.L. 327.431

In this Act unless the contents otherwise requires:

"adaptation period" means a period during which a person may exercise the work of an educator in Malta under supervision in a licensed school, or in any other manner as the Council may decide, which period may include the provision of such further training to such person, as may be required by the Council;

"allied professions", for the purposes of this Act, means kindergarten educators and learning support educators in possession of a warrant, or a licence or a temporary licence;

"Council" means the Council for the Teaching and Allied Professions established by article 3;

"ECTS" means the European Credit Transfer System;

"ECVET" means the European Credits in Vocational Education and Training;

"educator", for the purposes of this Act, means a person in possession of a teachers’ or a kindergarten educator or a learning support educator warrant; or a temporary teachers’ or a kindergarten educator or a learning support educator warrant; or a temporary specialised licence or kindergarten educator or learning support educator licence; or a temporary kindergarten educator or a temporary learning support licence, as the case may be;

"electoral commission" means the commission established by article 4(1)(n);

"kindergarten educator", for the purposes of this Act, means any person responsible for the education and care of children from three (3) to five (5) years of age;

"learning support educator", for the purposes of this Act, means any person providing direct and timely assistance to students with individual needs in classrooms and their teachers;

"licence" means a licence issued under the provisions of articles 13 and 14;

"licensed school" means a school licensed under the provisions under the Education Act;

"Malta Qualifications Framework" shall have the same meaning as that given to it in the Malta Qualifications Framework for

Lifelong Learning Regulations;

"Minister" means the Minister responsible for education in Malta;

"prescribe" means prescribe by regulations made under this Act;

"professional and ethical standards" includes standards relating to the general conduct of an educator, including the behaviour of such member towards his students, during or consequential to the exercise of his job, and behaviour of such member towards other educators and towards society;

"qualification" means the attainment of a level of knowledge and skill that makes a person suitable to do a particular employment or activity and must meet the conditions of the Malta Qualifications Framework, or of international qualification structures recognised by the industry;

"teacher" means a person trained in the science of the educational process and in the use of the pedagogical skills in such manner that such person has the skill to create an environment which motivates every student and succeeds to teach such student effectively by motivating his aspirations for the highest values in life and help him develop creative and thinking skills according to his age, his physical, moral, social, emotional and intellectual development and according to the potential of his skills and talents with the final aim that the student is trained to become a life long learner:

Provided that, for the purposes of this Act, and insofar as not otherwise provided in any other law, "teacher" does not include a kindergarten or learning support educator, a teacher in a school teaching a language as a foreign language, or any person who renders a teaching service in cultural, sport and religious sectors, insofar as this teaching is not being imparted as an integral part of compulsory education in terms of the curriculum in a licensed school: Provided further that a teacher in possession of a Degree of Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood and Care teaching at kindergarten level shall be considered as a teacher for all intents and purposes of the law;

"temporary licence" means a temporary licence issued under article 15;

"temporary warrant" means a temporary warrant issued under article 15;

"to practise", in relation to the profession of an educator, includes the taking up or pursuit of the work of a teacher, kindergarten educator or learning support educator, as the case may be, in Malta, at compulsory education or at kindergarten level as bound by the curriculum or by any other programme approved by the Minister in a licensed school.