Education minister advises against blinkered debate

Education Minister Louis Galea called upon students to widen their perspective on the Chalmers report and not remain stuck on the issue of stipends and student maintenance grants.

"Don't get caught up in a blinkered debate and focus just on stipends," he told representatives of Studenti Demokristjani Maltin (SDM).

During the meeting, one in a series of many with student organisations to discuss the Chalmers report on state higher education funding, Dr Galea insisted the government was committed to guaranteeing that those who wished to continue their studies, could do so. "I reaffirm these principles but together we have to find a fair way of guaranteeing free access to all," he said.

Dr Galea said the government's goal was to increase the participation rate of 22-year-old students obtaining post-secondary education to 85 per cent from 47 per cent.

The government also wanted a quality education system and was not willing to sacrifice this at the expense of quantity, he said.

"We are all partners in a process with the same issues at stake. Students have a finger on the pulse of what is happening. My interest is not to resolve the deficit because I am fully aware of the need to pump more funds into this sector. However, there are serious questions we have to ask and focus on," he said.

In fact, the Chalmers report, launched last week, showed that local post secondary and tertiary institutions were under "severe financial pressure".

However, SDM's main concern was the students' maintenance grants and ensuring that the stipends remained untouched.

While it understood that the current system put a strain on the country's financial situation, SDM pointed out that the average student "vitally" required some form of financial help to further his studies. SDM insisted it was against any proposal of a loan system or means testing to receive the maintenance grant.

In its talks with Dr Galea, which was mostly behind closed doors, the SDM discussed whether Junior College should remain part of the university and the reform of the smart card system.