3,878 lecture hours lost at MCAST - Bartolo

S. Calleja

Feb 25th 2009, 19:24

In the meantime... The Malta Today Sun 15 Feb issue reports...

Double salary for MCAST director in IT contract fiasco

"THE MCST director who pre-sided over a controversial tender for IT courses in 2008, and
which led to a police investigation, is earning more than double the salary of his peers.

Juan Borg Manduca’s €66,491 salary was revealed by Education Minister Dolores Cristina, in response to a parliamentary question by Labour MP Evarist Bartolo.

At €28,301, the salary of the directors of MCAST’s other institutes earn is just 42% of Borg Manduca’s. The other salaries are €81,528 for school principal Prof. Maurice Grech and chief executive Emanual Attard, and €26,787 for the institutes’ deputy directors."

These are of course the basic salaries, net of any bonuses.

Marion Pace

Feb 25th 2009, 17:47

@Simon Tonna
If you read the comments on the times you will find out that I participate alot regarding other topics. I also admire Mr. Bartolo alot because he is one of the best politicians and is not afraid to say the truth and brings to light matters that others prefer to hide away. Also to all, these lost hours do not seem to regard the IT Institute as they refer to English and Maths in Mcast. I recomend to Mr. Bartolo to release any additional facts regarding to which institutes these figures refer. Mr. Tonna it seems that according to you all those who critisise the Present Government here all wear red blinkers.

Simon Tonna

Feb 25th 2009, 16:40

@ Marion Pace
I recommend that you remove your red blinkers. It seems that whenever someone mentions Evarist particularly in the context of MCAST issues you are very prompt in launching your accusations.

Marion Pace

Feb 25th 2009, 15:21

@L Kelly

I recommend that you remove your blue blinkers as these seem to be impairing your eyesight. Where in the article did you see any subjects relating to IT? Mainly Maths and English and from my knowledge these are not in the IT Institute but in others. So it seems the culprit is not Evarist as you would very conveniently like to say, but people at MCAST who first they take decisions (such as that of changing the Foundation syllabus) and then they try to patch things up.

L..Galea

Feb 25th 2009, 15:12

liam kelly
My answer to Cassar applies to you also.

liam kelly

Feb 25th 2009, 14:46

Well said S Cassar;

As always; its the students who suffer for blatent incompetance of the people who are entrusted with manageing our childrens education;

Evarist Bartolo should have done the only honorable thing and resgined after having cost hundreds upon hundreds of students precious study time, leaving them in limbo, and prompting many of them to give up as they had to get on with their lives...our childrens education is not a political football for cheap point scoring.

Secondly, the teachers themselves have to take responsibility; as soon as they hear something they dont like they immediately threaten industrial action; that just illustrates perfectly where their priorities lie.

Thirdly; again the teachers; isn't it about time we started cracking down on teachers who are consistantly going off sick on mondays and fridays? It doesnt take a genious to work out what their game is; in addition; there should be better systems in place for teachers calling in sick; informing the students at least 12 hours in advance of their holiday...errr i mean intention to go off sick.

Marion Pace

Feb 25th 2009, 13:03

@S Cassar
I recommend that you remove your blue blikers as these seem to be impairing your eyesight. Where in the article did you see any subjects relating to IT? Mainly Maths and English and from my knowlege these are not in the IT Instiute but in others. So it seems the culprit is not Evarist as you would very conveniently like to say, but people at MCAST who first they take decisions (such as that of changing the Foundation syllabus) and then they try to patch things up.

S Cassar

Feb 25th 2009, 12:33

A BIG PERCENTAGE OF TIME LOST WAAS THANKS TO VARIST HIMSELF WHEN HE ALLEGED IRREGULARITIES IN AN IT TENDER WHICH MEANT THAT SEVERAL IT STUDENTS HAD TO WAIT FOR MONTHS ON END BEFORE THEY COULD START THEIR IT COURSES!

alfred zahra

Feb 25th 2009, 11:58

Have we all forgotten that many competent technical teachers and technical staff had to resort to leave the Technical Institutes and the renowned ex-Fellenberg Training Centre to find refuge in other state schools? They were MORE than competent people however due to the inferior conditions offered to them they had no other option but to leave and make space for others. However, it is evident that this space has not been filled neither in terms of staff nor in terms of equal competence.

It is useless and futile now to complain about the situation in MCAST. Do NOT forget that that there is heavy investment today in MCAST so it is right that the people expect more from this institution. Technical Institutes and the ex-Fellenberg Training Centre were doing miracles not in terms of 'public advertising campaigns' but in terms of training people and working in collaboration with Industry. All we had to do in the vocational sector was to build on what was good!!!!