A lot has been written in the media over the past days in connection with allegations of wrongdoing inside the Lyceum building in Ħamrun.

I write on behalf of the Association of Lyceum Past Students in defence of a great school that has truly earned the greatest respect of Maltese society since its inception.

In my youth, I received my secondary education at the very same Lyceum in Ħamrun. At the time, it was considered to be the best institution with the largest number of students all receiving their higher education from truly dedicated teachers.

Discipline was of prime importance and, in spite of the large number of classes at every grade, the best behaviour was supreme. Although we might have at the time objected to some of the disciplinary rules, we the Liċeo students of those years, always accepted such measures.

The alleged episodes that may have taken place recently have hurt and indeed saddened many a judge, lawyer, professor of law or medicine, architect, chemist, many high ranking government officials, bankers, bishops, priests and even the Maltese cardinal. I also would like to add the name of Saint Ġorg Preca who was himself a Lyceum past student and after whom the college is now called.

In spite of the above-mentioned alleged wrongdoing, the name of the Lyceum will not be diminished.

I pray that, for the coming years, the Lyceum building may once again be guided and guarded by conscientious and dedicated masters.

This, of course, to safeguard for all future generations the name of a Lyceum with a recorded history dating back to 1592 as shown on the ALPS logo Nil mediocriter.