The behaviour of university students celebrating their graduation was more akin to drunken louts after pictures emerged of wrecked benches on campus this afternoon.

The matter was brought to the attention of the public by the university's pro-rector Godfrey Baldacchino who raised the matter on Facebook. He wrote: “freshly graduated students from the University of Malta visited campus to celebrate the award of their degree. A few decided to enter the recently refurbished Science Lecture Theatre and jump on the desks, causing serious damage. Quite disappointing behaviour”.

A number of lecturers picked on the post to express their disgust

George Vital Zammit wrote that it was about time that this shameful behaviour was put to an end.

“Perhaps one should consider a ban on campus celebrations given their increasingly disruptive nature.”

He told timesofmalta.com later that the behaviour was not what one expected from graduates.

They use vulgar language, horns and disrupt lectures. There are classrooms where it is impossible to give a lecture because of the noise and ruckus

“Students’ behaviour these past two years has gone out of control… They use vulgar language, horns and disrupt lectures. There are classrooms where it is impossible to give a lecture because of the noise and ruckus. And if you ask them to be considerate, you get some nasty replies,” he said as he recalled an incident some years ago during which a lecturer was seriously injured during the so-called celebrations.

He noted that the disruptive behaviour would only come from a handful of students out of the 3,000 or so graduating and although a ban would affect everyone, such behaviour needed to be stopped.

“The university has invested for students to be more comfortable and we see this. It is shocking.”

He also said that some lecturers had to lock themselves up during the graduation period year in, year out.

“It never happened to me but I have had to chase students last year to ask them to refrain from using vulgar language,” he said.

Dr Zammit said university students had to show society that the years they spent at university helped them become educated people.

Sociology head of department Mark-Anthony Falzon, wrote “they pay homage to the Prime Minister at Castille, and to the leader of the Opposition in Pieta. And they smash up the university. Go figure.”

Lecturer Philip von Brockdorff said the racket when students visited faculties should stop too.

Junior College lecturer Anna Zammit said the situation was equally bad at her where it was impossible for lecturers to walk in and out during the 'celebrations'. There were also students arriving late for tests because of the racket.

Student David Carabott described the behaviour as "appalling and beyond belief" in European Malta with 2017 just around the corner.

“I pay €800 and €450 per semester to sit on those benches… We have enough vandals and hamalli wrecking everywhere up, we do not need to add university students to them.”

He said the students' behaviour was unacceptable and they should be arrested. Those benches, he said, were brand new and paid for from tax payers' money.

"The students come to the university to study and become mature adults and not to commit such atrocities... They should be made to learn their lesson, otherwise this will happen again and again."