A Labour government will not necessarily “strengthen” stipends as Opposition leader Joseph Muscat pledged during his Budget reply speech on Monday evening.
It will only “consider” increasing the stipends if the economic outlook of the country improves.
“Stipends will be secured under Labour. For now, our commitment is crystal clear not to touch this system which has delivered,” a spokesman for Dr Muscat told The Times yesterday, when asked to elaborate.
“If the financial situation allows us to do so, we will actively consider increasing and spreading the reach of stipends,” the spokesman added.
The pledge to strengthen stipends was the 33rd of 51 proposals made by Dr Muscat, in response to 10 questions asked by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who pushed the Opposition leader to say how he would behave in government.
Dr Muscat’s predecessor Alfred Sant had also promised to retain the stipend system before the 1996 election, only to back down on this promise once elected, saying the system was unsustainable.
Students were outraged when it was changed into a loan-based system.
In recent years the government has maintained the stipends system for students who attend University, Sixth Form, the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, and the Institute for Tourism Studies.
Although many experts, including the Central Bank Governor, have long argued that the system has to be trimmed and targeted at only those really in need, the Budget allocates more than €22 million for next year.
Another education proposal made by Dr Muscat on Monday night was to work towards setting up a second university, something he had suggested back in March 2010.
When asked for more details, a party spokesman said this idea could take various forms, “including developing further the progress by Mcast and ITS”.
The Labour Party would also welcome interest from respected foreign educational institutions which were ready to provide degrees ideally in new innovative areas.
“Pluralism in education, especially at tertiary level, will help our university to improve and a new government will help the University of Malta improve further,” the spokesman said.