The budget will give a much-needed boost to independent schools through bigger tax breaks for parents who have their children in private schooling.
The schools will also be given a direct rebate of 15.2 per cent on costs related to new construction.
Parents will enjoy a tax deduction for up to €1,200 of the school fees if their children go to a private kindergarten or primary school, and up to €1,600 if their children are in secondary school.
The last time there had been any change to this measure was in the 2007 Budget, when the tax break was doubled to €931 for primary schools and €1,400 for secondary schools.
The move comes in the wake of a report, commissioned by the Independent School’s Association (ISA), which put the cost of private schooling at approximately €3,500 a year per child for tuition fees alone – a prohibitive cost which risks making some schools unsustainable.
Following that report, the government engaged the association in discussions and the first fruit of that debate was possibly seen yesterday.
In a press briefing, the Finance Minister Tonio Fenech said the government recognised the contribution given by independent schools which unlike Church or state schools do not receive any direct subsidies but offer parents a valuable option for their children’s education.
Later in Parliament, Mr Fenech also announced that the schools would get a refund of 15.2 per cent of eligible expenses connected to new construction.
Church schools would continue receiving financial help, to the tune of €43.2 million next year. The budget will also continue pumping money into the University of Malta and the Malta College for Arts Science and Technology. The university will receive an extra €3.5 million, following an increase of 3,370 students this year. As a result, the investment in stipends has increased by €850,000.
The total investment in education next year will be just above €340 million, up €32 million over last year.
Meanwhile, a report has been commissioned on eLearning in schools – an initiative aimed at strengthening the network between schools, parents and students.
The government is also pledging to review the Matsec exam, to improve its standards and encourage more students to further their studies. The most recent results showed that almost 90 per cent of students sitting for their ‘O’ levels had passed their core subjects.
The Matsec review will analyse the impact of exams on students and their families, the educational structure and the labour market.