Students following an O level revision course are not entitled to a stipend, according to present regulations.

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said that, in recent years, an agreement was struck between the Education Ministry and the Maintenance Grant Board enabling O level revision students to receive a stipend.

“In order for things to be done correctly, stipends should still be given out and the legal notice [regulating the scheme] should also be amended so that such a decision does not depend on a minister.

“When a minister is the one to decide whether to give or not to give out stipends, it means that there is no legal obligation to give them. By amending the legal notice, one would be formalising it and make such payments obligatory on the minister.”

The Nationalist Party media reported on Wednesday that students following the O level revision course at the Naxxar Higher Secondary and the Gozo sixth form had received a letter from the school informing them that, as from this year, they would not receive a stipend.

Mr Bartolo stressed that his ministry had not authorised such a move and no such authorisation was sought.

“It appears that there was communication from the chairman of the Maintenance Grant Board, which was understood as instructing those who communicate with the schools that the stipends would no longer be allocated.

“We are committed to strengthening the stipend system,” Mr Bartolo replied.