University, Junior College staff told not to submit exam results

Katie Micallef

Jun 10th 2008, 20:06

Yea Sean Apap..I mean stipends just don't go far enough..what with all those individual expenses..like when u get hungry..i mean a student has to eat right..none of that cheap stuff..oh and a student has to look good...can't be seen in the same clothes twice..and don't forget the petrol, the mobile phone cards, the alcohol on the weekend..shame on the government for being so stingy. Give me a break. Find me a student who spends his stipend on his education and I'll never argue this topic again. Fast forward a few years: you've graduated, working and paying tax, some of which is ending up at the bottom of a toilet somewhere in PV.Try imagine that money actually going into our education, instead of becoming pocket money. I know what I'd prefer.

Sean Apap

Jun 9th 2008, 14:18

To all those asking what's the big deal with postponing the results:

Imagine needing to resit a subject, if the strike persists for a long enough time the available study time would be greatly lessened


To Ms Elisa Borg,

I'm sorry to say this but i wonder what bubble you're living in thinking that the stipend is "silly" - have you any idea how much money one student can easily spend in a month?

- The bus travel is a minimum of 1 euro a day (to go to school and come back) ignoring the fact that if a student has a large time gap they may leave and come back more times

- Printing the necessary notes can put quite a dent in some wallets considering the sheer number of notes needed

- The books needed for a course alone can run up an incredibly high bill that the initial money given (which I believe is a fair amount) may not be enough to cover it entirely

Ignoring individual expenses of course.


I hope this problem is sorted as soon as possible

Graham Crocker

Jun 8th 2008, 02:05

Students have done nothing to deserve this yet, they treat us like this.
I don't know if this affects the University Students only, because the Junior College Staff was mentioned, all I know is we need to protest back as a whole entity.

We need to show them that we are not Pawns that can be used and discarded without batting an eyelids.

It seems that Teachers in Malta, Need to be Taught a lesson.

Elisa Borg

Jun 7th 2008, 17:38

2003 is five years ago... that is very serious.
Industrial action is never fair, but if our country allows it then why should teachers and lecturers not have the right to strike too?

Who should we protest against, the uni staff or uni the employer? Lecturers are right to want a decent pay, but uni is severely under-funded. Who is to blame?
Should we protest against the politicians who made stipends a political issue, so that students still get their silly Lm36 a month while the university sinks into bankruptcy?

This said, students need to know their result in time to be able to continue their studies (e.g. in time to apply for resits or apply for a post-graduate course abroad). If the strike goes as far as to jeopardise this, I will be reluctant to regard UMASA's point of view favourably.

Matt Tabone

Jun 7th 2008, 16:26

"They said they were very careful to issue directives in a manner that ensured that there will be no negative repercussions on the students"...erm...in whose mind does not issuing results amount to no negative repercussions?

Of course there's nothing wrong with lecturers getting paid decently...but when they use students as a bargaining chip not only do they lose all respect but potentially also a strong base of support...and at this point of the year when most students are still undergoing exams makes it all the worse.

As it is they've simply strengthened the other side's position and set students against them, not a very clever negotiation strategy.

Jennifer Cosaitis

Jun 7th 2008, 14:19

Mr Mizzi we're worried because we're suffering the effects of a problem the union has. Its unfair for students to have to spend summer worried about results or on the edge with regards to orals.

Why doesn't the unions see the trouble we go through? What about a result from the January session that I'm still waiting for? How's that for sheer incompetence from people who should know better?

Joseph Caruana

Jun 7th 2008, 14:07

As a university student I just finished my exams and would like to know my results now because of curiosity but because the resits are not being taken into consideration.
At least they are correcting the work. and the issuance of the results will depend whole on teh university board.
In my opinion they did well but they will have give themselves a deadline ot this directive for the resits students sake.

Jennifer Cosaitis

Jun 7th 2008, 12:42

How can this not have any repercussions on students? Have they forgotten the stress the students are under? Does this imply that students could be having orals in the middle of summer to the boards' discretion because they do not have to do with theses?

Both Unions should be ashamed of themselves. This is selfish and disgusting behaviour !!

E. Mizzi

Jun 7th 2008, 11:04

I cannot understand why everyone is so worried here.. so what if the results are published later? isn't that normal? and ofcourse we always get the short end of the straw we're students after all. Results come out mid-July (supposedly) my suggestion is enjoy the summer and let the big boys battle it out, i'm sure that by then some settlement or other would have been reached.

Brian Spleenovich

Jun 7th 2008, 10:47

At some point I hope that a rich student's father is going to get fed up and sue everyone he can get his hands on and maybe get compensation for every student who has been delayed. I suggest that someone does have a shot at this.

L.N.Farrugia

Jun 7th 2008, 09:32

This trade dispute is just silly...and yet not shocking! As a final year university student, I sure hope these associations concerned could rectify this petty problem soon. Students should not have to wait for their exam results (in particular final year students that have to find out whether they've made it or not). I feel that its the student's turn to retaliate after the exams in response to this unfair act should things remain as they stand!

Viola Gauci

Jun 7th 2008, 09:00

And what have I done to deserve this?

K. Vella

Jun 7th 2008, 08:43

@M. Vassallo.

You are right re: the conditions. But can you kindly point out where exactly do the students and their right to know how they did in their own exams come into the equation?

Warren F Sammut

Jun 6th 2008, 22:43

Some months ago, during a lecture, a student had asked if the lecturer could rearrange the time and date of a tutorial, but the lecturer quickly replied that the student had to give university the highest priority. Apparentely it does not apply to some lecturers, and students shall now pay for this lack of professionalism. Will this drama ever come to an end? It is argued that if a private university comes from abroad, probably the UoM would cut this nonsense. Till then, students shall wait, wait and wait...
Please, for the sake of the highest echelon of the educational system of our beloved nation, do rearrange these terms quickly and effectively.

Joseph Grima

Jun 6th 2008, 22:29

I'm not sure why everyone's amazed. Aren't we used of having examiners taking out their problems on the students? That's their only outlet.

J.M. Chapelle

Jun 6th 2008, 22:23

After the weeks and months of sweat and tears, (aside from the fact that examinations themselves are a stressfully outdated idea and a massive burden), now I am not even entitled to my results being printed on time? Wonderful! In the words of the St. John Bundy's the Great, "PAJJIZ TAL-MICKEY MOUSE". C'mon, who are you kidding?

Silvan Cutajar

Jun 6th 2008, 21:51

Shame on the Government for once again creating industrial trouble. This has happened in many entities especially after March 8th. Shame on Government for leaving workers with a long expired agreement. Once again another achievement of the collective bargaining unit of Government! It should resign!

M. Bugeja

Jun 6th 2008, 21:44

I understand the MUT being upset at the course of events. But please, as university students, we get the short end of the stick constantly. We're at the bottom of the totem pole, and this becomes ever more evident every year.

I strongly urge all parties concerned to get down to business and settle this quickly. Students shouldn't be treated like chess pieces. We've worked hard, and we're entitled to know the results of our hard work.

Claudine Micallef

Jun 6th 2008, 21:31

Oh great! I am busting my behind studying for my exams and now I have to wait for my results?!

M. Vassallo

Jun 6th 2008, 20:43

Which worker would accept that the collective agreement governing his working conditions is not renewed for five long years after it expired? Which respectable trade union would tolerate this? Which employer who allows the conditions of work to detoriate so badly as they have done at the University of Malta can claim respect? Who is so silly to continue to provide service at the university as a Professor at the maximum pay rate of EUR 10 an hour when he knows that for a few minutes' visit to a medical professional (with lower qualifications) one gets charge a minimum of EUR 35??? Only the mad aspire to become academics in this country....

Ylenia Rosso

Jun 6th 2008, 20:38

Don't these people realise the kind of stress students have been under these past months? Do they really think we need any more of it? this is disgusting, not to mention highly unfair! why do we students have to suffer due to something we have nothing to do with?

What's more, it would be nice to see these people actually do their jobs properly before anybody gives them the right to claim whatever they may be asking for. they should be really ashamed of themselves!

Joanne Vella

Jun 6th 2008, 20:16

No negative repercussions? I think MUT need a reality check because as a university student withholding results is what I term a negative repercussion. Now I am all for people standing up for their rights but it seems us students always suffer. We are not some tool to get there message across. What a childish act by the MUT.

It is enough we have to wait ages for results to be published, and that to the university staff deadlines have no meaning, yet if us students dare miss we are sure to suffer for it.

Seriously MUT I am sure there is a more MATURE way to get your point across.

Caphenni Vassallo

Jun 6th 2008, 19:47

MUT is such an embarrassing and lame organisation. It keeps giving these innane directives that don't harm the people they are trying to harm, but rather, the innocent piggies in the middle - generally students.

Will the Uni students protest like the MCAST students did? I doubt it. Will it even matter if they do? I doubt it. Will Gonzi stand up for the students who are so-called "with him?" I doubt it too.

Well at least they're not fighting for parking spaces this time (one hopes).

Katie Micallef

Jun 6th 2008, 19:22

Great so now we're a bargaining chip. Well students if ever there was a time to stand up for your rights and protest this blatant disregard for students wellbeing- here's your chance.

Sandra Azzopardi

Jun 6th 2008, 19:12

Very good indeed. So students have to pay for this dispute. This is inhumane especially on students like me who apart from following a course at UOM have a family and work. What will happen if we have to sit for a resit? It is already difficult for those like us to manage, imagine being kept in limbo. So much for life-long learning. Well done!

K.Vella

Jun 6th 2008, 19:06

Another one in a long list of incidences. UMASA's methods once again prove to be highly questionable when put under the spotlight.

P. Sant

Jun 6th 2008, 18:59

This is a real joke. Staff want more money? Lets say as a student, members of staff, ie lecturers, have been given assignments which I have never got back and given grades without any sort of feedback. Had practical examinations with grades being given subjectively and again no feedback given to the student. Examinations held well beyond the examination periods ... etc... etc... etc.... Any sort of compenstation for the student?

A. Spiteri

Jun 6th 2008, 18:25

“To issue directives in a manner that ensured that there will be no negative repercussions on the students if the University responded with urgency to provide serious counter-proposals”… It seems that the MUT have been taking a stance against the most vulnerable and least responsible group in all of its disputes: the students. After the MCAST students, it’s the Junior College and University students that have to suffer. Students deserve to know, in a timely manner, how they got on in their exams (particularly if resets are necessary). Furthermore some students are paying for their course such as foreign students and those attending post graduate courses. Foreign students could possibly need to plan their summer holidays, to be able to visit their family, and are awaiting the results to do so.

All these trade disputes make me think that the MUT have no actual influence on such institutions, and just aim to the most vulnerable group, the students, to try to be heard. Well to go!

Brian Spleenovich

Jun 6th 2008, 18:07

This is a serious hazard for the students of Malta, it's one thing to annoy the authorities, but not by causing a delay in the education system.

Mark Debono

Jun 6th 2008, 18:04

It's bad enough that we sometimes have to wait up to three months for a result to come out, now due to our Alma Mater's crass incompetence in granting proper conditions to its staff, students must suffer further. I sympathise with the staff and hope this dispute is solved once and for all in a most timely fashion, without having the results be published later than usual and thus reducing more of our precious study time for any resits. Furthermore a reduction in the time window between publication of said results and the starting time of University courses 2008-09 would not go down well with those trying to choose what they will pursue in tertiary education.

Matthew Borg

Jun 6th 2008, 18:02

And so essentially, the students are STILL held to ransom, even though the unions are claiming otherwise as there are "no negative repercussions". For how long are we going to have to wait to see our results? What about those students who might have a resit in any subject, or an oral examination? Did they think about such repercussions?

Andrew Martinelli

Jun 6th 2008, 17:54

Nice! Another 3 months of agony: the system was bad enough before, now the delays have been officially announced...

Oh well, I might just kick off my 4th year without knowing my 3rd year results.. not bad eh?

Now seriously, fingers crossed: let's hope a compromise is reached soon.

Matthew Mizzi

Jun 6th 2008, 17:37

The Students' Charter states that the University shall ensure that "[...] results are published within a reasonable prescribed time period and a minimum of 4 weeks before the next supplementary session"

Although this clause is framed as a duty pertaining to university's administration, the statement clearly shows that the academic staff is responsible for issuing such results. KSU should stress the point that the academic staff should in no way derogate from their responsibility undertaken in such an agreement of which they are partners given their representation on Senate, Council and the Students' Charter Committee.

Put simply, the academic staff can't hide behind the seemingly separate personality of university when in effect they, as members of the boards administering university, subscribed to such an obligation.

UMASA should distinguish between the educational vocation of university to which they are ultimately responsible for its delivery and the employment relations existing at university. The provision of an essential service as proper education - including facilitating the publication of results - should not be denied.

Mangion M

Jun 6th 2008, 17:34

The collective agreement issue has resurfaced again at the University of Malta - wow this is great news! But why is it always the student who has to suffer because of this issue? This is simply unacceptable in a country which is investing thousands of euros a year into higher education. I believe that authorities must get themselves together and rectify this situation once and for all because students can't be treated like this.

H Farrugia

Jun 6th 2008, 17:03

UMASA should be ashamed of themselves. Haven't they got what they wanted? What more do they want ? They are after money, these lectureres. And they are trying to put pressure by withholding the exam results. There are several methods how to call their bluff.