Updated - - The government is set to publish a new legal notice superseding the one issued last March which would have enabled the minister to request students personal data 'for research purposes'.

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo made this announcement when replying to questions by Times of Malta, this morning at a lifelong learning activity in Valletta.

He said that the controversial aspect raised in the wake of the publication of the first legal notice, which was subsequently put on hold had been addressed by a working group including all stakeholders.

'PN PROVED RIGHT AFTER FOUR MONTHS'

In a reaction, the Nationalist Party said Mr Bartolo had finally admitted that it was right about the legal notice, giving him undue access to sensitive information about students. 

The PN recalled that it had presented a private motion in parliament for the legal notice to be repealed.  But the prime minister and the members of the government had voted against it. 

Now, four months on, the truth had finally emerged. Not only had the the PN not been negative, but it was right, the party said.

This showed incompetence by the government, which first insulted the PN  and then realised that the party was right, the PN said.