The Christian Democrat student body (SDM) said yesterday it will never agree to any change in the current stipend system because stipends were a necessity.

Stipends were for everyone because everyone had a right to education, SDM president Lauro Fava said yesterday.

Always a hot topic, the stipends issue hit the news after a survey carried out by student newspaper The Insiter recently found that one in 10 students wanted the €84 monthly grant removed. Although the survey only targeted 130 students, it signified a change from usual attitude students have taken towards stipends.

University Rector Juanito Camilleri had later remarked that stipends were a privilege not a right and that the system should be revised to make it more sustainable. But instead of removing the stipends altogether or creating a system of means-testing, Prof. Camilleri's idea is to give students a chance to decide for themselves whether they need the monthly grant or not.

Still, Mr Fava was adamantly against any changes as he announced yesterday that the SDM would contest the upcoming student union elections.

Even though the collective agreement between university academic staff and the government was signed in December after a long-drawn out battle between the two, Mr Fava said the quality of education was still under threat.

Lecturers were still not turning up for lectures and results of exams held in January have not yet been issued, he said.

If elected, the SDM would work towards channelling student complaints directly to the authorities, Mr Fava said.

The student organisation also wants to set up a €25,000 fund for students to travel for conferences. When asked about the funding, Mr Fava explained that KSU will finance it through sponsorships.