IT students still in the dark about their courses
The Labour Party said today that hundreds of students had still not been assigned a place to study information technology because the MCAST Institute for Information Technology was full up and the government had been slow in identifying private centres where such courses could be held.
MLP education spokesman Evarist Bartolo said it was important that these students were able to start their studies as soon as possible, but it was also important that the private centres selected for this purpose were properly equipped and adequately staffed with trained people.
He observed that while the government boasted about how many students opted to follow IT course, it was not saying that between 20 and 30 percent dropped out after the first year or failed their exams.
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C Attard
Sep 25th 2008, 17:48
But things are changing don't worry!
C Attard
Sep 24th 2008, 20:59
@ Cosaitis
As if you don't know what happens on campus!!! Phewwwwwww
Jennifer Cosaitis
Sep 23rd 2008, 23:18
@ C Attard, then how may I ask is this organistation which "students trust" has not been elected to KSU for a number of years in a row?
C attard
Sep 23rd 2008, 17:31
PULSE should intervene again!!! Students trust this organisation. Like all other cases like the disputes between the University and the Unions, it was there to help.
Somebody needs to represent these students. We have not forgot that Gonzi emphasised the point that there would not be any experiments with education!!!
G.Schembri
Sep 23rd 2008, 17:01
I'm sure these MCAST students are not waiting for ECDL courses to start. I would assume they have applied for a diploma or higher. Some people seem to think that you either go to University and get a degree in Computing or else get an ECDL. From what I learnt from my sons there are various fields where one can specialize in computing, and it's not fair to say that if a person did not get a degree from Malta University he knows nothing. Another thing you don't have to go to Malta University to read for a degree, private institutions are offering degrees from foreign Universities that are just as good if not better, of course these students get no stipend.
anthony caruana
Sep 23rd 2008, 16:32
whats people think that the ecdl and other courses are so easy when some people talk they have a habit of puting others down for what they have achieved by getting (ecdl etc) so what kind of qualifications would one need? phd ?? to work in it as far as I know one needs ecdl and advanced not phd
when one make a coment one must try and under stand other people hard work to gain what they have without others slamming them
Alan Michael
Sep 23rd 2008, 16:16
I am a Student waiting to attend..and I dont know what to do..IMMEDIATE ACTION IS NEEDED, WE CANT WAIT ANYMORE
Chris Farrugia
Sep 23rd 2008, 15:55
I believe that the current situation in Malta and the massive promotion of careers in IT makes people believe that if someone has sat for the ECDL exams and did some vendor specific qualifications, he or she has now beocme an IT specialist. Unfortunately there is much more to become an IT specialist.
Effort should be made to introduce Research in Malta which until now is non existent or extremely limited. Big name companies that can come to Malta with Smart City will surely be after Research. The problem is that producing people capable of research work requires much more than just doing some two year course.
IT remains a highly scientific area which requires people highly keen on mathemcatics and analytical skills. I cannot therefore believe how can someone be a graduate in IT and not having even an A-Level in Mathematics.
The goverment has two options:
1. Continue to mass produce "IT professionals".
2. Invest money in resarch and academic resources to produce highly skilled people. A person that is so proficient in one technology does not make him/her a professional because afterall technologies change on a day by day basis but the theoretical basis and concepts remain.
D. Cortis
Sep 23rd 2008, 15:50
This is somewhat normal practice as it was the past two years. Students for IT courses with private institutions last year started on the 1 of October and this year will probably follow suit.
I agree with David Bailey that the IT training is suffering a drop in skill as we are looking at quantity not quality.
David Bailey
Sep 23rd 2008, 15:32
The government keeps forgetting that it's quality and not quantity that makes for a skilled workforce. Do we want students who do not meet the required qualifications to become doctors, surgeons, dentists etc. just because we need more of them? Obviously not. The same applies to the I.T. profession.. and if the current situation continues then foreign investors will notice the drop in skill and professionalism and start looking elsewhere.
Not to mention the fact that our educational facilities and structures are extremely ill equipped and too small for proper I.T. training.. yet the Govt puts more emphasis on MCAST instead of the University and other courses where students achieve much better qualifications!!