Reaching for a truly independent KSU

University and Junior College students will tomorrow elect their representatives on the University Students' Council in what promises to be an intriguing and unpredictable three-horse race.

For the uninitiated, the KSU, although not quite a student union, is one of the major stakeholders in the higher education arena and is the main student representative body on both a national and international level.

For this year's election, in the right corner, we have the Christian Democrats - SDM; in the left corner, the Social Democrats - Pulse; and, in between, an independent team, Reach.

Although SDM and Pulse are not officially affiliated to either the Nationalist Party and the Malta Labour Party, respectively, their ideologies and also the fact that their campaigns are being run by people who are involved in the various party structures clearly point to unofficial yet strong links. On the other hand, Reach is an ad hoc formation of students combining different ideologies and is totally independent of all political parties.

I have consistently argued that there is no place for partisan politics on campus. Why is it that we must reflect a stagnant and divided Maltese society at what should be our premier and most avant-garde public institution? Does it make sense to have people in the KSU simply there to toe the line of one political party or another?

It is hoped that the student electorate, now numbering well into thousands, has matured over the years and that students have turned into discerning voters. I sincerely hope students do realise it is not in their interest to vote along party lines. As all teams will most certainly be courting block votes, it is impossible and unfortunate that candidates will be chosen according to their allegiances (or lack of them) instead of their capabilities.

Last year's student council was a step, rather, a switch in the correct direction. Having the backing of most student organisations (including SDM and Pulse), it was an attempt to unite, as opposed to divide and rule. In this context, continuity is of the essence. The KSU must continue to become a truly independent organisation, and it is no coincidence that three members of the present executive have formed the independent team Reach. While being independent, the KSU must not, however, be afraid to shy away from impartiality, a necessary condition when taking a stand.

I have a dream that, one day, the University's KSU will be at the forefront of a national union of students, where what will matter will not be the colour of one's political allegiance but the quality of one's education. In this dream, the student body will be able to form an effective pressure group capable of deciding notoriously tight national general elections.

The choice, as in any democratic election, rests with the people, the voters, the students. It must be surmised though that a partisan KSU next year, on whichever side of the fence it may be situated, will come eternally close to triggering an Armageddon alert. Let us students for once show this country we are not couch potatoes hoarding people's taxes as stipend pocket money but progressive youths capable of engineering societal change. Let us thus vote with our rational minds. Let us reach for a truly independent KSU.

Mr Sciriha is editor of the student newspaper The (Go Mobile) Insiter.

publications@insite.org.mt