Friday, 22nd February 2008

University debate: condemnation awaited (1)

Charles Cassar, Fgura.

The meeting held on February 18 at the University of Malta reminded me of the days during the 1980s highly criticised by the Nationalist Party itself. What disgusted me most was the fact that Lawrence Gonzi not only permitted this situation to happen but smiled in apparent approval when it did. If he really means business and truly wants to introduce a new way of governing he should have stopped that shameful approach by the majority of "students" present who changed this meeting into a PN political activity by chanting "Gonzi, Gonzi!" and "Nazzjonalisti, Nazzjonalisti!" This shows lack of maturity in Malta's highest educational institution and portrays a very bad image of our university. Should a similar debate take place in a primary or secondary school the discussion would be more serious and the students more respectful and less arrogant.

Imagine if this happened under a Labour government. Who on this island would not comment? Many are waiting for comments from certain people on this "show of support". What are the comments of the rector? What are the comments of certain lecturers and professors who normally speak out loud on political issues? What are the comments of certain "independent" journalists who fill our TV and papers with hatred against the Labour Party and still make reference to the 1980s? These people were present at the university on Monday. Aren't they ashamed with what happened there?

Hundreds of students and thousands of people condemned what happened last Monday. Our protest against Dr Gonzi is not as loud as that of students on Monday. Ours is in our heart and will be reflected in the ballot paper on March 8. But we'll not stop there. Before the 1980s the university was reserved for the higher class and the selected students.

Thanks to Labour, things have changed and this institution is nowadays accessible to everyone. The elite are losing ground but they still have a grasp and the power to manoeuvre things there. Time will come when our children will continue to prosper and advance academically no matter from what background they come from. They will in the near future be the ones who will overcome this arrogance and make the university a more respectable institution.

Previous article • Work is a major issue
Next article • University debate: condemnation awaited (2)

Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Sunday, November 22, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

Daphne Caruana Galizia (on 22/2/08)

Charles Cassar exhorts us to imagine what would happen if this were to have occurred under a Labour government. We don't have to imagine anything, Mr Cassar, because we experienced it: thugs and police.

Charles Camilleri (on 22/2/08)

You are wrong Charles. (Par.3) Before the 1980s the university was reserved for the higher ups and the selected few by the then Labour Government who could obtain a sponsor.( parrinu) After 1987 the Nationalist Govt. made the University accessible to all children irrespective of family background or political inclinaltion. It also paid them the stipends to alleviate their financial burden. Labour Govt. change this into loan which was again changed into stipend by the Nat. Govt. As a result the University population mushroomed from a couple of hundreds into more than 10,000. the same applies to MCAST which had to be built anew after being destroyed by labour. These are the facts.

Alex Ellul (on 22/2/08)

By the way: Free university was introduced by the PN government way back in the 60's, not by the MLP as Mr. Cassar tries to imply when he says:"....this institution is nowadays accessible to everyone. The elite are losing ground...." The elite: isn't this extreme socialist talk? Is this old New Labour, new Old Labour or just plain old old Labour? Which reminds me: who was that chap, who on Thursday morning of two weeks ago, was making noises such as socialist, proletariat, etc? He was sounding so much reddish in colour that the interviewere had to comment to him about his extremism.

alex Ellul (on 22/2/08)

Mr. Charles Cassar is not obeying his mentor, Dr. Alfred Sant, who said that let history for historians. Now Mr. Cassar not only wants to be historical, but he is also trying to re-write history. He declares: "Thanks to Labour, things have changed and this institution is nowadays accessible to everyone." This is a blatant lie. What the MLP did in the past was dimantle the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, (MSAT) at that time situated were the Junior College now is, and practically reduced the University to a true socialist-style utilitarian institution. The total student population during the MLP years (1971-1987) was reduced to just 900 students or thereabouts at Univesity and zero at MCAST. Today the student population is more than 10,000 at University and thousands others at new MCAST. During the MLP days the students were manhandled, beaten, refused entry to University for various stupid reasons, etc.. That is real history. There is only one Truth and no altered version of history written by Dr. Sant and his party followers will survive this Truth.

During the encounter with the University students, these same students felt insulted by the level of mediocricity shown by Dr. Sant, especially when he tried to say that the students' stipend was withrawn by the PN and not by the MLP. We Maltese are still awaiting many apologies for all the sins carried out by the MLP during its 1971-1987 arrogant governments.

David Buttigieg (on 22/2/08)

Thanks to Labour University is more accessible? You deserve a prize for sheer gall.

My school was closed during Labour's regime of the eighties - how about that for encouraging further learning. Not to mention that during Labour's time during the eighties there were less than 1000 students - compare numbers today!

Labour were a disaster for education and continue to be so.

University debate: condemnation awaited (1)

Comments

Poll

Fun Stuff

	15 °C
Partly Cloudy Feels like: 14.1°C UV Index: 3