The government's Malta Information Technology and Training Services Ltd (Mitts Ltd) is to divest itself of the 15,000 ordinary shares it currently holds in Nucleus Training International Ltd (Nucleus), a local ICT and management training services provider trading as STC Training from premises in Pembroke.

The decision was made by the Cabinet on the recommendation of the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications.

Nucleus started off as a partnership between the private and public sector to deliver a variety of training courses in IT. In December 1995, 14 Maltese IT firms together with the Management Systems Unit Ltd (later MITTS Ltd), agreed to set up a joint venture to establish a profitable centre of training excellence that would offer whole-life continuation training in the skills of IT development and the effective business use of the technology.

The ministry said the divestment of the shares shall be made through a public call for offers which shall be announced through a notice of sale which will be published in the local newspapers. Following the publication of the notice of sale interested participants will be able to collect a copy of the Call for Offers document from Mitts Ltd at Gattard House, Blata l-Bajda.

Mitts Ltd is currently undergoing the process of transition from its current state of operations into the newly formed Malta Information Technology Agency (Mita). One of the main responsibilities of Mita is the further proliferation and dissemination of ICT education in Malta, an area of activity which the agency is currently strongly promoting through a number of ICT-education programmes including myPotential, SmartWomen, SmartCareers and the provision of satellite training services to students applying for programmes at the ICT Institute of MCAST.

Infrastructure, Transport and Communications Minister Austin Gatt said: "Nucleus was one of the first public-private partnerships which the government had launched in the ICT educational sector. At the time, the government's role was crucial in starting up the ICT training services sector in Malta, which since then has grown into a strong, vibrant and growing collection of activities in Malta, serving both local and foreign students.

"Now that the private sector has adequately filled the training requirements of this country, the government believes that it should leave the private sector to continue with its good work while the government should focus more on facilitating partnerships with the private sector, such as the proliferation of the myPotential scheme."