Gonzi: New EU funds will ensure further education growth
The Nationalist Party this morning shifted its focus to education as the electoral campaign entered its sixth week.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said education was the key to individual success and also vital for the country’s economic growth.
The PN was committed to creating a knowledge society.
Education was also key to keeping unemployment under control. He noted that in countries such as Greece, youth unemployment had now reached 60 per cent. The PN wanted the country to have sound public finances because that was the way to guarantee free education and access to it for all. The government managed to maintain it in the past five years, in contrast to other countries, where education tariffs had been increased as part of austerity measures.
And yet, Maltese workers were among the least taxed in the EU.
Dr Gonzi said the new €1.82 billion financial package which Malta had negotiated with the EU, along with national funds, would ensure there were sufficient funds for a PN government to continue its education programme.
A PN government intended to use the EU funds for job creation, investment in health and education across the board.
A new PN government would continue to build a new school every year – in Tal Handaq (girls), girls secondary Kirkop next year, boys' secondary Paola in 2015, girls' secondary Hamrun in 2016, and boys' secondary in Hamrun in 2017 followed by a school for boys in Pembroke, then Marsascala and Hamrun.
Work would continue on the new Mcast campus, more University facilities, new facilities for ITS and a new sixth form in Gozo.
Tablet computers would be provided to all schoolchildren, teachers and learning support assistants as a teaching and learning tool.
Dr Gonzi reiterated that stipends would be raised ‘pro rata’ with the cost of living index, he said.
Students following higher university courses would have national insurance contributions credited to them to ensure they had enough contributions for a full pension by the time they reached retirement age at 65, despite starting to work late.
He said the PN was also promising free childcare to parents who wished to continue to study.
The fund for investment by private schools would be increased and assistance would be given to parents in such schools.
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m farrugia
Feb 11th, 18:20
pl will take some more time to shift its focus on education since it except keeping schools clean & providing tablets it seems to have no plans whatsoever. maybe evarist bartolo, our future education minister could enlighten us
Alex Falzon
Feb 11th, 13:44
so good.. by keeping the budget framework... applying almost all electoral manifesto... why change the party in government? The answer should not be because the PN has been in power for 25 years, because they are arrogant, because they are corrupted or have oligarchy... as these will disappear once the PN is re-elected with new faces.
m farrugia
Feb 11th, 20:51
and will surely reappear should pl be elected.surely pl cannot speak about corruption - they are promising to dismantle mepa to accomodate a few contractors whose permits were refused for right reasons such as odz
Paul Cassar
Feb 11th, 13:42
WORDS OF A GENIUS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!......................uttered after years of profound thought and reflection !!!!!!!!!!!
Alex Falzon
Feb 11th, 13:42
campaign and gaining so much votes... that it would have been a walk-over for the PN. This has not happened. The PL is offering a change in direction... no-one knows which way... but everyone knows that the PL wants to continue building its strategies on the 'Good' the PN has done over the last 25 years. This statement contradicts by far Joseph Muscat and the PL. Therefore, if the PN has done
Alex Falzon
Feb 11th, 13:39
against, are against and will remain against. This is the PL's true colour. No matter how much their bluish backdrop is, no matter how many blue ties they were... there recent history is written... is written for all of us to see, analyse and judge. I truly believe that once again the PL is not ready to govern our island... should they have been prepared they would have advanced in this
Lawrence Fenech
Feb 11th, 13:37
Have you already forgotten where you made cuts to deduct the 40 million euros from the EU budget?
Alex Falzon
Feb 11th, 13:36
Good Luck for Malta - to have achieved so much funds for the next 7 years. Unfortunately, not all of us are proud of this success in terms of the financial package... others from the PL side has welcomed the package after harshly campaigning negativity against Malta's EU accession. These people, if given our trust will become our leaders, take the merits and the applause for something they were
Lawrence Fenech
Feb 11th, 12:58
Gonz ma kontx kapaci tuza li taghwk l'EU sissa ara kemm ser tkun kapaci tuza li taghaw allovolja somma akbar.
Dan apparti il-fatt li il-Parliament Europew ghad irid japprova l-ammonti allavolja diga iddikjara li ma jaqbilx ma l'outcome ta' nhar il hamis.
m farrugia
Feb 11th, 20:45
nahseb ghajnejk mhux f wiccek sur fenech, kull fejn iddawwar wiccek xejn hlief playgrounds,toroq godda, studenti isiefru fuq visits u jkomplu jistudjaw , xoghol kbir ta restawr, terminals f ghawdex u ic cirkewwa. impjanti tas tisfija tad drenagg brizultat ta bahar nadif, sptar gdid tal cancer, kollha frott tal flus ta l eu. Qatt ma kien hawn legislatura li saru daqshekk progetti fiha
Joe Grech
Feb 11th, 12:37
More and more promises by the PN to try to get votes.
Giving Tablets to children who can't read only keeps them from reading books. Illiteracy under PN has increased VERY BADLY thanks to Dolores Cristina who did not tackle it seriously. And the PM kept her there as he put Party Political Considerations befor National Education Needs.
NOW he's promising to reform...but is it too late to convince?
Joe Grech
Feb 11th, 12:25
The PM boasts Maltese workers are among the least taxed in the EU. I voted to join the EU as we had no other alternative open to us, but frankly I am much disappointed.
PM you must know that nowadays it has become impossible to sustain a family on one salary so women NEED to go and work. There is much GAMBLING, MUCH ABUSE OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES GOING ON. Why not do something about it?
m farrugia
Feb 11th, 20:39
do you honestly think that a family can be sustained on one salary?not even in sweden
at least women have incentives to look forward to under pn govts, for ex one year tax free for mothers returning after 5 yrs or after having a baby, thousands of mothers benefitted from this.
Joe Grech
Feb 11th, 12:16
PM, the EU, in financial difficulties gave Malta (not the PN) much needed funds. You promised to use these diligently but many, myself included, doubt that. Your administration spent MILLIONS unnecessarily on Consultants, the building of TWO parliamentary blocks (spoiling the entrance to Valletta), a roofless theatre, schools that are too large for specific areas.
Also why not tackle ILLITERACY?
Please choose the reason of your report below: