Minister meets university students on education funding report

The University Students' Council yesterday reiterated its opposition to any form of tuition fees, means testing or the compromise of the student maintenance grants system during a meeting with Education Minister Louis Galea to discuss the Chalmers report.

KSU president Paul Gonzi said that before tackling what had been an incentive for students to further their education, squandering of funds should first be dealt with.

During the meeting, most of which was closed to the press, Mr Gonzi said the KSU had made several recommendations to make as to how the efficiency and applicability of the student maintenance grants system could be improved.

The KSU had in fact outlined its belief that the financial burden should be shared with private industry rather than jeopardise the current system and tax students.

Mr Gonzi said the KSU was very happy with the way the government was dealing with the Chalmers report - which deals with the funding of higher education - which showed that local post-secondary and tertiary institutions were under "severe financial pressure".

He said the KSU agreed with several parts of the study and, of course, disagreed over other sections.

The report, he said, confirmed what KSU has been saying on the need for greater quality, accountability, better administrative direction and coordination.

The KSU also applauded the report's position to advocate a cautious approach towards any radical tilting of the educational platform, which gives students incentives to follow a particular course deemed beneficial for the country's economic prosperity.

Nevertheless, the KSU reiterated its warning of the negative effects of disincentives such as numerus clausus, reduction in the student maintenance grants or spending caps on courses.

It was also concerned about the prevalent position within the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development on this issue, especially since the KSU had no direct say within the council.

It believed that all guidance staff within secondary and post-secondary institutions should be centralised under one department in an attempt to tackle the problem of the student drop-out rate between the ages of 17 and 19.

Dr Galea praised the KSU for their input during the drawing up of the report. However, he pointed out that the Chalmers report did not focus solely on stipends or the student maintenance grants.

"The main contribution from the student body should be how to guarantee quality of courses, relations and quality of degrees. It would be a mistake if we move away from this focus," he said.