Rector tells of distress over school

A. Farrugia

Feb 7th, 10:30

I fully concur with what has been stated below that having children in the neighbourhood only brings joy. Let's face it - the school day is over by 2pm. By 2.20pm, at the very latest, the area is clear and tranquility reigns again. Put this in the context of all the weekends, scholastic holidays and half-days, and the argument being bandied about regarding congestion starts to look shaky at best. It is very obvious to me that there are other vested interests at play here - people, perhaps in high places, who simply do not want such a project, the St. Augustine Primary, to be embarked upon in their neighbourhood and have not left a stone unturned to stop this project at all costs.
To my mind, MEPA, has too often acted with the principle of two weights and two measures. Had this been a some sort of towering monstrosity, residential or otherwise, I'm sure MEPA would have had no qualms issuing the necessary permits, all in the name of progress and economic development of course. Shameful.

James Piscopo

Feb 6th, 21:59

As an ex-student I only have words of praise towards the college and Rector, both always aspiring to offer the best to students. It was amazing the relationship we had with the teachers and administration.

This refusal was a real shame. MEPA must note that "this may give rise to overdevelopment" is a nice excuse, but not enough, considering that the area is already over-built except in the school area. It' seems to me more a 'Not In My Backyard' case from the residents.

Li naghtu permessi f'ODZ u f'widien lil hbieb tal-hbieb u ghal-ragunijiet kummercjali: ok
Li nkabbru wahda mill-aqwa skejjel f'Malta: le

Only in MEPA

Mr Mark Bartolo

Feb 6th, 13:05

It is a well known fact that children’s attendance to Church schools is sought after by many Maltese families. It is also a well known fact that the availability of boys’ primary schools has been very limited when compared to that of girls’ schools. It is therefore amazing that when concrete steps are taken to address this situation, various objections are brought up to nip the initiative in the bud, even more so when this initiative is a result of an educational reform developed and agreed upon in collaboration with the competent educational authorities.

Where education is concerned, it is a real shame that reasons of overdevelopment are bandied about, when the same authority issues permits for the development of thousands of apartments that will, for a very long time, remain empty for various reasons.

Some commentators have proposed that the main reason for this development is for the Church to increase its income. When one considers the immense capital outlay in the development of the school, the everyday operational costs, not to mention the enormous responsibility of the education of youngsters, I think this reasoning can immediately be seen for what it is.

Franco Farrugia

Feb 6th, 13:02

Whether the College in question, or any other school for that matter, is good or not, has nothing to do with the matter at hand. In granting a development permit - or rather, a further development permit - one has to consider the area that is about to be encroached by said development. In the Pieta' area, the College as it is now already has problems of entry and exit of the staff and students - this is done by two very narrow, one-way roads - well, it's one, actually, since the other one, at the back of the school and right beneath the former St Luke's Hospital, is far too steep for transport to dare use. It's not even practical for pedestrians, let alone for cars. (So much for those people who write about the matter for personal agendas of their own, without knowing exactly what they are on about!)
Savio College in Rabat has been mentioned in the comments below: could it be that further development was forbidden due to the fact that all the land around it is pristine, good agricultural land?

mercieca marlyn

Feb 6th, 12:49

Thanks to Fr. Scerri and all the staff for all their work. Truly much appriciated from all the parents. However it is a shame that MEPA is hindering the development of a collage for our llitle boys; in a country that spends a lot of effort on education.

Malcolm Ellul

Feb 6th, 10:11

It is very unfortunate that in this world most decisions will always please some and disappoint others. It is the agenda behind such decisions which however results in the frustration of the affected parties and their sympathisers.

The Government has long pledged its commitment towards the Education reform. This last decision however shackles this promise and to the man in the street it would now appear that the preservation of an individual’s view from his bedroom window is given more value than the much needed investment in modern education facilities for Malta’s future workforce.

I believe that common sense will nonetheless prevail and vouch my unconditional support for Fr Scerri’s quest to provide better education to our children. It should only be a matter of time before the ears of those who chose to ignore will finally decide to listen.

Kenneth Busuttil

Feb 6th, 00:34

Imma haga tal-iskantament li jieqfu jew jehlu permessi li huma relatati direttament mal-Edukazzjoni. Bhas-soltu, il-MEPA tibqa' annimal stramb u imprevedibli! L-isfortuna hija li decizjonijiet bhal dawn jispiccaw biex iharbtulek il-pjanijiet tieghek. Sitwazzjonijiet bhal dawn bil-fors li jinkwetawk u jirrabjawk fl-istess hin; specjalment jekk tkun diga' avvanzajt bil-hsibijiet tieghek ta' kif se timxi u tmexxi. Again, qed nitkellmu fuq skola u mhux fuq xi bini relatat man-negozju u l-kummerc.

Hawn irrid niehu spunt u nsemmi wkoll iz-zewg applikazzjonijiet pendenti li ghandha l-Iskola Islamika-Maltija Mariam Albatool, li minkejja l-wieghda ghal diversi drabi li se johorgu l-permessi ghall-estensjoni, xorta din l-iskola baqghet tistenna u tittama li xi darba tinghata l-go-ahead ghall-estensjoni, u dan bil-konsegwenza li l-istess skola kellha tirrifjuta numru mdaqqas ta' tfal milli jattendu fi hdanha. Ft ftit kliem qed nghidu li tfal Maltin Musulmani gew imcahhda milli jattendu fi skola li ghandha ethos partikolari.

Nappella bis-serjeta' lill-MEPA biex tirrikunsidra ghax ghalija dawn m'huma xejn hlief intoppi u daqqiet li jxekklu kull process genwin biex ikollna verament sistema edukattiva li thares lejn l-interessi tat-tfal qabel kull haga ohra!

Joe Caruana

Feb 5th, 20:04

Wahda mill-iskejjel li hafna genituri jixtiequ li uliedhom jmorru jitghallmu fiha minhabba l-edukazzjoni u l’formazzjoni tal-karattru li jaghtu l-ghalliema taht it-tmexxija tal-komunita Agostinjana. Ejja ma naqghtux qalb lil dawn in-nies li ghandhom motivazzjoni li jghallmu lit-tfal iz-zghar ukoll.Zgur tkun ta’ beneficcju ghall-istudenti u ghall-genituri li dawn jattendu fl-istess ambjent ta’ skola minn 5 snin sa 15 – il sena.

Mr M Spiteri

Feb 5th, 19:35

It seems mepa has it's priorities wrong. Our children are the future and they need these schools which provide a higher standard of education.

George Lewis

Feb 5th, 18:35

So Mepa has not granted permits to St.Augustine College to build a primary school since such construction might be an eyesore.However Mepa has given permits to build two additional floors in Valletta to house the family court .This is threatening Valletta from becoming a Unesco monumental capital.This is unbelievable .It is simply absurd as to how certain decisions are taken and very difficult to understand how different measures are taken against all logic.

Mepa has not improved even after the P:M: took over.

R Axisa

Feb 5th, 18:15

This was not the only church School which was refused permit for a primary School. The same happened to Savio College.

C Muscat

Feb 5th, 17:27

@ Mr kenneth Williams Mid-dehra ma taqrax il-kummenti; jien noqghod faccata ta St Monica Birkirkara; fuq ix-xellug ghandi li San Ilwigi Primarja u sekondarja; kif taqsam it-triq skola tal-gvern go psaila street u ftit il fuq -inqas minn kilometru ghandi lil St Thersa College. Within a radius of a kilometer more than 5 schools. Tieghi bghatthom St Monica Gzira u jekk wiehed jara d-domanda ghal dawn ic Church schools bizejjed biex tinduna r-rizultati li jgibu. Ta' tifla minnhom 3A 2B's and a C fl A level u fl-intermediate. Ta l-ohra 8 A 2B u C fl- O level u wara din is-sena nghidlek 2 rizultati wiehed flO Level u L-iehor fl_A level. U jigi xi hadd jghid li l-births qed jonqsu u dawn huma zejda flok naraw dawn l-iskejjel kem jahdmu ghal uliedna u naghmlulhom kuragg.
Irrid nerga nzid li dan hu f development area u meta dhalt fis-site tal-MEPA veru tal-misthija mhux biss ghax gie rrifjutat imma ukoll kemm dam ma hareg. Dan zgur kellu johrog aktar minn sena u nofs ilu. Jien tieghi kollha lahqu tghallmu fi skejjel tal-knisja u ta dan nirringrazzjhom jien u uliedi li kburin li attendew skejjel tal-knisja.

Anna Borg

Feb 5th, 17:21

St. Augustine College has, in silence and without much pomp, worked hard and individually to bring up boys who are academically well formed, but also humans with a big heart. A school where each child is able to reach his full potential. My son attends this school too and I only have words of praise and thanks for Fr, Alan and all his staff! In all the years that my children have been attending school (different schools) I have never experienced a staff so dedicated and committed towards their students as St. Augustine College. It is truly a pity that Mepa is hindering the development of such a reputable college and they are also doing a disservice to all the little boys who will be missing out (or being delayed) on the opportunity to be part of this excellent school.

John Azzopoardi

Feb 5th, 16:49

If I were the church I would not take this personnal. Let the government spend the money and teach these young people. I would instead use the money in existing buildings to teach the teaching of the church to those who want to hear them. MEPA has all it's priorities wrong. To allow an eight story extension to the law courts to a World Heritage site should be a crime.. And where is all the outrage on all of this.

Klaus Pedersen

Feb 5th, 15:57

It really is quite unfair when one considers the entire chain of events. Remember the church schools were told: you are no longer allowed to take students for secondary based on a common entrance test. They were thus forced to create a whole new primary school in a short span of time. And now this school is told: "no, you can't". It is a shame if a school with a long tradition of educating boys from all parts of soceity is forced to fold, especially on such dubious arguments as were reported from the hearing this week.

Sergio Scopazzi

Feb 5th, 15:36

I wonder what Fr. Scerri means by ".......stripped of a right that is theirs". I always thought that children are admitted to church schools on the basis of the lottery. I must have been wrong!

jimi Xerri

Feb 5th, 15:03

What is bothering the commentators below, the MEPA application for a school or that the application is for the expansion of a Church School?

Steve Sant

Feb 5th, 14:49

But why must everyone assume that virgin land, which is so much needed for our health and sanilty must be built up. The church has a lot more "eyesore" land available for development in an already ruined area (as in built up). So go build there instead of land (like Pieta) that needs trees and acts as lungs for the area.

Francis Saliba M.D.

Feb 5th, 14:45

The Valletta monstrosity is a definite WRONG.

The St Augustine School in its proposed environment is NOT WRONG except in the warped mentality of some MIMBY.

This is not a case of two wrongs never making a right. It is a case of MEPA abusing its discretionary powers to approve/reject applications.

Franco Farrugia please note.

J. Mifsud

Feb 5th, 14:44

Instead of the Church and the State investing on buildings they should concentrate on bettering the education system. The majority of Maltese students, study to pass exams, and hardly have the abiliity to use their brains and make up their own minds.

A. Mifsud

Feb 5th, 14:30

What did you all expect from MEPA ? This authority excels in being contradictory and showing its full strength with the weak. Had it been a piece of land of speculative nature it would have been given the green light for development outright. Irrespective whether it was an ODZ, green area, or within scheme (as in this case). Perhaps people like Mr. Mario Farrugia and Mr. Kenneth Williams had personal interests in blocking this development. As the saying goes in this country it's not what or how it should be done, but okay go ahead do it as long as it's not in my back yard!!! Literally!

Carmel Gatt

Feb 5th, 14:16

So the omnipotent MEPA has refused a permit for the building of a school and granted a development permit on agricultural land at Gharghur. No wonder this country has started an inexorable slide into the abyss

Irene Forster

Feb 5th, 13:41

My son attends St. Augustine College and in my opinion, it would be a great pity for a prospective pupil to be deprived of such an educational and family orientated experience. Fr Alan Scerri and all the rest of the staff, are dedicated to the school and the children who attend it. As for anyone saying about development, just have a look around you. Construction works are sprouting haphazardly like mushrooms. I prefer that an excellent school is constructed, than a hideous block of apartments, any time.

John Zammit

Feb 5th, 13:06

When every body is saying that we are going to have a problem due to the fact that births have have substantially been reduced The church is opening new schools when they are .not need.

jimi Xerri

Feb 5th, 13:03

It seems to me, the priorities in this case are wrongly set.
Why is a scheduled deteriorated property more important than a primary school?
Now that St Luke's Hospital has been transferred to Mater Dei, don't you think that the transport and parking problems have also been transferred?
Is it more important to have one's bedroom more lit up rather than shadowed by the proposed building, even if bedrooms are usually used at night?
Is it a matter of historical value or it is a matter of I live here; member of HPU; and I don't give a damn about the school?
Have the members of the board been influenced?
Do the relevant authorities know what is truly happening here?
Is the Local Council more concerned with the traffic or should it be more concerned with the amount of drivers; leaving a certain area outside former SLH; going down that road at very high speed to the detriment of anybody living in the area and the school children?

John Caruana

Feb 5th, 13:00

From the picture it seems that the school wants to develop the property adjacent to it, once owned by the Zammit Tabonas.

If i am not mistaken years ago MEPA refused development from a developer for the place. Do not know what the developer want to construct but it in this particular case it seems that MEPA has been coherent in it judgment - it refused permit to both a developer and a school on what seems the same grounds

Victor Pulis

Feb 5th, 12:59

The proposed primary school had been recommended for refusal from the outset by the case officer, who said the design and height were unacceptable and would give rise to overdevelopment.

Is he the same case officer who gave the go ahead for the valletta monster?!

Mario Farrugia

Feb 5th, 12:28

Well done Mepa. All those commenting about this case seem to know nothing about the densely packed built environment that characterises the very location at which this development is proposed. Another school at this place would simply cause more traffic and severe parking problems in an area which is already beset by these. I can fully understand Rev. Scerri's frustration but then again that is why an applicant is expected to undertake serious studies to weigh all pros and cons before entering an application. In most cases, EIA’s and preliminary studies are undertaken by mediocre professionals who are all too willing to please their clients even though they would know that the given project stands no chance at the planning adjudication stage. But then again they would do it for money. Within the planning world an infamous industry exists where unaware clients are unscrupulously manipulated and milked by architects, lawyers and planners. On the other hand, in this country we have now reached the silly stage where each time that someone’s fantasy, is rejected by a government body he rushes to the gullible press. This country has enough buildings as it is and any attempt to increase more should only be accepted if no other plausible alternative exists. Once again, a big well done to Mepa.

G. Portelli

Feb 5th, 12:23

MEPA gives permission only to land speculators. This project was going to create jobs and not speculate on land. This project was going to give more young ones an alternative choice.

Kenneth Williams

Feb 5th, 12:21

Ara jekk hawx xi pampalun min dawn li qed jiktbu hawn isfel li tigi binja bhal din wara daru jitkellimx l istess!!! jekk irid ir rettur isib post iehor il barra mil pieta bhal ma ghamlu skejjel ohra. Ghadna kemm hadna r ruh mill l-isptar nerghgu nibdew mill gdid. Ghal darba prosit MEPA nispera li bil mixja lejn Kastilja ma tidholx xi ras kbira u ddawwar kollox.

Ms.D. Galea

Feb 5th, 12:05

Lil MEPA, din l extension ta' skola privata tal-Knisja li ha takkomoda lit-tfal ,taghta f ghajnha?

MALCOLM SEYCHELL

Feb 5th, 11:58

I used to go to this school and all the area is developed, so it doesn't make any sense to restrict the permits. .

Hopefully some common sense will prevail.

J Gouder

Feb 5th, 11:27

A monstrosity towering in the heart of Valletta is given the green light.. and a new school (in an area which is not a green area or of historical importance like Valletta) is refused!! Are vera pajjiz tal-mickey mouse!!

Francis Saliba M.D.

Feb 5th, 11:20

Is this the same MEPA that authorized the monstrosity on top of the Law Courts in a culture gem like Valletta and that is now having scruples about a school extension in Pieta'?

S Camilleri

Feb 5th, 11:11

Rector Alan Scerri said: “This decision will frustrate parents – especially those who have other children at the college.”

I would add "...those who do not 'manage' to be 'fortunate' enough to 'channel' their loved children in church schools are even more worried since, more room would have meant at least extra chances"

It is so fun living on this Island ...how can I not agree more with Fr Scerri when he says...

"Parents who wanted their children to have their education in a school with a particular ethos feel frustrated, disappointed and stripped of a right that is theirs,” Fr Scerri added.

Good Holy Sunday in the name of our Lord.

Sounds bitter is it - bir-ragun !!

Rocco Camilleri

Feb 5th, 11:08

Of course Rector you feel devasted when instead of finding encouragement in doing something for the benefit of the Maltese children - Education you find some one throwing wood in the spokes. It would have been much better if MEPA had seen the huge buildings done at Sliema where a lot of residents are dumped where they not even see the sun / daylight which one highly needs for his health benefit. Hoping that this application will be re-considered

J.A. Ebejer

Feb 5th, 10:57

I shall not enter into the merits or otherwise of MEPA’s decision re the proposed primary school.

I cannot help note, however, how R. Abela’s comment is a classic example of how a regulatory authority such as MEPA is in a lose-lose situation. R. Abela criticizes MEPA for having issued a permit for a school in Mgarr. The same R. Abela, in the same breath, criticizes MEPA for not having issued a permit for a school in Pieta.

Joselle Camilleri

Feb 5th, 10:54

You can never understand how some enlightened minds work in MEPA. If this application has been refused on the grounds that the area is already over-developed (and I sincerely wonder where was MEPA when Sliema and St. Julians became over-and-over-developed), why doesn't the Case Officer in question give the Augustinian Friars a chance to present an alternative request, modified plans, may be one floor lower, whatever... but please, spare us the sermon that you're trying to safeguard an already raped environment.

R. Abela

Feb 5th, 10:19

After fatal 'MISTAKES' performed by MEPA where several buildings was 'GRANTEND' permits in the last 2 decades for EXTRA storeys >for example court of justice building in Valletta, Tinge Point and most victorian area building in Sliema and Paceville<, now MEPA is trying to divert public attetion and playing the game as an environmental instituition and holding permits where are considered as a National Interest. It was the same MEPA policies which granted permits for a school in a virgin agriculture land in Mġarr in the name of Education. How is it today that MEPA is finding it 'HARD' to grant a permit for a school in already developed area? Is it because this is a Church School, not a 'Profitable' one? Is this because School Churches are performing better Educational results which shames other schools results?