The Rector of the University of Malta said yesterday the time had come for a critical revision of the Matriculation syllabus because the system was demanding too much from students.

"The syllabus has become larger than life... Is it truly achieving what we need in terms of University students or is it merely a system of controlling access into the University," Juanito Camilleri asked.

The Matriculation syllabus for entry into the University requires students at sixth form to obtain two subjects at A level and four at intermediate level.

Perhaps, Prof. Camilleri said, it was time to have another look at the system that he feared was testing students on their memory skills, which were not necessarily indicative of the best students.

Prof. Camilleri was speaking during a seminar organised by the National Commission for Higher Education (NCHE) to launch the Further And Higher Education Strategy 2020.

The report outlined 12 strategic priorities (see box below) to reach the government's 2020 vision for excellence.

The vision aims, among other things, to increase the participation of 17-year-olds in post-secondary education from the current 60 per cent to 85 per cent by 2015 and attract students to areas of study relevant to Malta's economy such as science and technology.

As he spoke to an audience of academics, teachers and politicians, Prof. Camilleri took the opportunity to make his own observations and recommendations.

There was need for a "serious modernisation" of the University's facilities such as the sports complex, the canteen and the library to tackle space constraints.

The University also needed a master plan to support new styles of learning such as distance courses.

On the Junior College, he said he was concerned when he went there and saw so many students pouring out of the bars around the school: "It's like a ghetto... these are not adults and are impressionable and we must harness them to take life with values".

He was aware that the head of the college worked hard to bring the students into the school but there were space constraints and issues with facilities.

Prof. Camilleri underlined the importance of investing in the library and information systems, adding it was unacceptable to have a fragmented library.

He suggested a national service that could include an online system through which people would know where a particular book was without having to waste time hopping from one library to another.

As he developed points mentioned in the NCHE's report, which spoke about increasing student participation in subjects like science and technology, he said he believed the experts in the fields were not being utilised well enough.

There was the need for funds to ensure the best brains were employed to carry out research on matters of national importance, such as water.

The issue of inadequate funding was also raised by the president of the University of Malta Academic Staff Association, Victor Buttigieg, and the president of the Malta Union of Teachers, John Bencini.

They agreed that excellence, as targeted in the government's 2020 vision, did not come cheap.

According to the NCHE report projections, if the government's vision was to be achieved, the total expenditure on further and higher education was to increase from €90 million last year to over €110 million in 2020.

Mr Bencini said that, while the ongoing education reform was positive, the government had to ensure there was adequate investment in human resources.

He feared Malta would not reach the 2015 target to have 85 per cent of students pursuing post-secondary education due to problems that were being overlooked. These included absenteeism and social problems.

According to the EU, he said, there was to be one educational psychologist for every 4,000 students. Malta was meant to have 20 but only had three.

Dr Buttigieg stressed the importance of investing in research - another goal set in the government's vision - adding that so far funds allocated were "completely inadequate".

The complete strategy report can be viewed at www.nche.gov.mt.

Factbox: Strategic priorities

• Attract more students to continue their studies at post-secondary and University level.

• Encourage students to take on studies in subjects relevant to Malta's economy.

• Attract foreign fee-paying students to study in Malta.

• Adapt systems for adults seeking life-long learning skills.

• Secure fair and equitable access to further and higher education.

• Assure quality provision across all institutions and their programmes.

• Develop Malta's Qualification Framework and qualification recognition services.

• Increase the University's research capacity.

• Facilitate and promote student and teacher mobility.

• Ensure responsive systems through adequate governance and funding policies.

• Maintain active participation and cooperation within Europe and internationally.

• Develop and implement a long-term investment plan.