Selection of ICT teaching centres for Mcast delayed by legal action

John Bonnici

Oct 24th 2008, 12:45

After nearly a whole month, on the 21st October (3 days ago) there was the court hearing about this case but no information has been given about when these students are going to start. Not even an indication of when this investigation and court case is going to end. The least they can do is give an indication, like say 1 more week, or one more month, at least students and parents can be a bit relieved.

My question is: WHY are we neglecting 1-2 months of good education to 600 students, when they could have started as planned, WHILE the investigation is being carried out? Why did they have to freeze everything. This is not a normal case here, we are talking about 600 students, so its a big case. I believe that MCAST, the Education Ministry, The courts etc, should have started the course as planned and at the same time do the investigation. If something fishy is happening then the courses would be stopped, but at least there is a good chance that nothing fishy is happening and the students wouldn't have lost a good 1-2 months of education.

Philip B Cortis

Oct 15th 2008, 10:09

Part 3 of 3

MCAST was to pay around 2000€ per student for a scholastic year and apparently there are around 800 students.

There are allegations that from the 5 bidders that bid for the tenders, only one genuinely had satisfied the pre-set benchmark and according o the allegations, the “points” of the other 4 bidders were raised to be able to take part of the cake as well. Based on these allegations, the bidder that had genuinely satisfied the criteria decided to take the matters to the court and apparently the court ordered everything to be frozen. I’m informed that the 1st hearing is on the 21st of this month.

The Solution

If all those involved from the government stand by their version that no fool play was done, then the solution is simple. MCAST makes an agreement with the bidder that took them to court in which they will start the courses immediately with all the 5 bidders. IF the court later decides that there was fool play and he was the real successful bidder, then MCAST will compensate the successful bidder for any profit lost. This can even be pre-determined.

Philip B Cortis

Oct 15th 2008, 10:07

Part 2 of 3

While MCAST was trying to get EU finance for this year, the clock was ticking. They tried to speed up as much as possible the process and the decisions by various departments. Eventually on the 28-8-08 10:00am, 3 tenders for this scholastic year courses were issued. The closing date was (if I recall well) the 13th of August. If one looks at the tender, it was impossible for a first-time bidder to complete it in 15 days. As an idea of why I’m saying so is that the tender requested to submit the C.V.’s of some of the stuff. A first-time bidder would have to find the stuff, hence make the necessary adverts, interviews etc and such in a matter of 15 days is impossible. Apparently around 10 companies were interested and took the tender but 5 submitted it. I guess these are the 5 that had participated in such programs the previous years.

The tenders had a fixed price and who satisfies the other criteria would take a piece of the cake. MCAST made it clear that its intention is to have several centers participation so not to have all the eggs in one basket.

Philip B Cortis

Oct 15th 2008, 10:02

Part 1 of 3

I might not be 100% correct on everything, but this is the complete picture how I know it. I’m not going to criticize anyone but would give the complete story (according to what I know) and also give what will be a practical solution in my opinion.

MCAST can’t find enough ICT teachers. The reason for this is very simple – an ICT graduate will get a better wage in the industry, but MCAST can’t make a “special deal” to ICT teachers cause the other teachers will protest. So MCAST started to use Private Tuition companies to accommodate the ICT students. This year, MCAST tried to get the finances for such from the EU, which apparently, they did not had enough time to do so and EU did not gave the finances. Apparently, MCAST is trying to get the finances from EU for the next 2 years.

Joseph Cauchi

Oct 14th 2008, 20:06

Why do we have to disrupt our children's schooling?

We do not have to politicise everything. Please leave education out of this equation.

The priority is to provide our children with their schooling and not to explore any shortcomings within the system, always at the expense of our children.

The losers are our children in this political game !

Please leave politics away from education !

?!?

Liam Kelly

Oct 14th 2008, 17:31

This is utterly scandellous.
The process is already months late so there is absolutly no justification for stopping it; leaving teenagers in limbo over their future.

Not only have the students yet again been totally ignored but the opposition tries to hijack the situation to play party politics.

Mr Bartolo, get your finger out and start to help to get these children assigned to schools immediately; then you can start to go fishing for dirt with your investigation AFTERWARDS.

And dont give me any of that nonsence about ensuring the quality of education; the MLP was opposed to MCAST in the first place so as if we're going to believe they are sincere about this sham.

joyce aquilina

Oct 14th 2008, 09:47

As a parent I am feeling very angry besides feeling also very worried because after my son did very well last year and was looking forward to continue this year he seams to be losing interest now and he has become very tense,by what the minister said it seams the students have to make up for the time they lost [1 month] in which case it is not their fault.