VALLETTA, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The closure of schools in Malta to prevent the spread of coronavirus has forced many workers to stay at home with their children, so the government on Tuesday launched a scheme to help them achieve a balance between work and home-schooling.
The Parents Benefit Scheme offers financial assistance to families with children under 16 years of age where both parents work in the private sector and where one of the parents has to take time off from work to remain at home to look after the children. The country's schools are expected to remain closed until April 11.
Minister of Finance and Employment Clyde Caruana explained that some parents did not have a job that permitted them to work from home, so they had no option but to take time off from work to stay with their children. "It would have been insensitive to leave these people alone," he told a press conference.
Caruana said the same scheme had already been introduced at the height of the pandemic last year, when schools had also been closed. In 2020, around 4,500 people benefitted from this scheme, which cost in excess of 3.5 million euros (4.17 million U.S. dollars).
To be eligible for the benefit, one of the parents would have to take unpaid leave. During that period, they will receive just over 166 euros per week. Part-timers will receive 103 euros a week.
The government last week launched another scheme whereby children from families that could not afford a computer or a laptop would be given one to enable them to follow lessons from home. The scheme also provides high-speed internet access in their homes.
"I barely have enough money to buy food and things for my kids," a woman who preferred not to be named told Xinhua. "I sometimes can't make ends meet at the end of the month so there is no way I could afford to buy a laptop for my children on which they could follow their lessons. I also don't have internet access at home so that will help too." Enditem
