The University Student’s Council (KSU) has welcomed the European Commission’s decision to lift the suspension of education funds.

It noted with satisfaction the Education Ministry’s efforts to regularise the administration of the funds, which led Brussels to unfreeze the funds.

The Commission’s decision will enable University students to go on exchange programmes. But it will still be blocking about 70 per cent of the €2.4 million due to Malta for the implementation of the programmes in 2011 until it is satisfied with the way they are run. This, however, will not affect grants to be awarded to individuals because unused funds can be tapped for the purpose.

KSU hoped there would be renewed efforts by the relevant authorities to maintain the required level of efficiency while tackling the remaining deficiencies noted by the Commission.

It called for further improvements to ensure the continuity of both the Youth In Action and Life Long Learning programmes, “which provided University of Malta students with the resources necessary to experience the benefits of European integration”.