Employees should have the right to disconnect from work responsibilities when they punch out, the National Youth Parliament heard earlier this week.

“There are instances when employees have to deal with work-related issues during out-of-work hours, whether through emails, phone calls or, at times, even having to go back to the workplace,” Michaela Pace said.

“Instead of working to live, we are living to work. These people are not just employees, but they have their own families,” she said in a heartfelt address.

Ms Pace said her ‘party’, which had been tasked with coming up with a resolution on youths and work, was proposing that work-related issues that needed to be resolved immediately could be handled by people enjoying the same seniority.

Commenting on the education system, she noted that despite advancements, there was room for improvement.

READ: Should workers have the right to ignore emails after office hours?

The education system focuses too much on literacy abilities instead of skills such as public speaking

The system focused too much on literacy abilities instead of skills such as public speaking and the transition from the school benches to the workplace was not a smooth one, Ms Pace noted.

Two mock parliamentary sessions were held in an event organised by the National Youth Council.

The first, in which 13 to 18-year-olds participated, debated culture and innovation, youths and work and climate change issues.

It was followed by a discussion among people aged between 19 and 35 who debated sexual health and reproduction, decentralisation and devolution of power in Gozo and migration and humanitarian protection.

Resolutions on each of the six topics will be passed on to President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and the new leader of the Opposition in the coming weeks.

Among others, the ‘party’ tasked with drawing up a resolution on climate change proposed a mass transport system for civil workers.

This idea was, however, challenged by an opposing party as a short-term solution. There were still too many vehicles on the road in the morning peak hours and this called for a revision of working hours, it was suggested.

The session was addressed by several MPs, including Dr Muscat who commended the balance between the two genders, which, he said put the House of Representatives to shame.

Such gender-balance was more pronounced during this year’s youth parliamentary sessions, he noted, adding that several of the women present were not taking a back seat.

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Dr Muscat said MPs should respect the ideas put forward by the six ‘parties’ represented. The National Youth Parliament, which, he said, was “a sneak preview” of the future, was having less of a role play function.

As the years went by, it was instead having a larger bearing on local debates.

Some of the proposals by those aged 13-18 years

■ Children should learn about more than one religion so there will be more tolerance and less discrimination.

■ There should be more centres for people who are not Catholic, excluding prayer rooms, where people of different creeds can meet to socialise.

■ Increase penalties for farmers and bowser operators who pump water illegally from boreholes.

■ Introduce solar canopies in public and private parking places, and also at charging stations, which would generate electricity.

■ Grants for car-pooling employees.

■ Revise the fee at charging stations, and those who invest in an electric car between 2018 and 2020 should be given €100 monthly for three years to spend at such stations.

■ Students who achieve the highest grades are to be provided with permanent job opportunities.

■ There should be a policy that does not allow the employer or manager to contact people outside their working hours, while on sick leave or on holiday (the right to disconnect).

Recommendations made by those aged between 19-35 years

■ There should be a holistic plan, especially for Marsalforn and Xlendi, which are being developed at a high rate to keep up with the touristic demand.

■ The government should provide initiatives for remote-location jobs, which would help reduce brain drain in Gozo.

■ Children born to migrants or refugees in Malta should be given Maltese citizenship and residency.

■ There should be organisations that promote migrants’ concerns so they can take part in the political process.

■ Provide a pension to migrants and refugees who pay their social contribution and tax.

■ Censure the screening to 14-year-olds of The Silent Scream because of its graphic content.

■ Open a sperm bank, which would reduce sexually transmitted diseases.