Graduate Ritienne Zammit yesterday praised the government's scholarship scheme during her speech at a graduation ceremony of the Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology.

"I really appreciate the opportunities students are being given so they are able to continue their studies at an advanced level thanks to the introduction of the government scholarship scheme," said Ms Zammit, who graduated with a Higher National Diploma in 3D Design.

"I believe the government is recognising the importance of certain sectors such as art and design."

Mcast's President of the Board of Governors, Paul Attard, also spoke during the ceremony, saying the college was providing a service to the students, to industry and to the country's economy.

He said: "The three services Mcast provides are evolving continually. A substantial part of the college's success and progress has been because it has been following a precise plan, spread over a number of years. Primarily, this success is down to the direction of the Principal, Professor Maurice Grech and the professionalism and dedication of the academic staff."

The graduates

Institute of Art & Design

Level 3

MCAST-BTEC National Diploma in Design Crafts
Flavio Bezzina, Angelina Bodishtyanu, Matthew Borg, Sirach Borg, Jean Pierre Briffa, Claudia Cachia, Sandrina Cachia, Christine Ellul, Christian Fenech, Lorraine Fenech, Nathalie Galea, Denise Gatt, Nina Hirsch, Claudio Micallef, Kathleen Pearson, Angelica Pisani, Darryl Schembri, Antonia Sciberras, Justin Sciberras, Marie Jo Scicluna, Lucianne Tabone, Florentina Tanti, Franjessica Marie Vella, Sefora Vella and Vania Ventorino.

MCAST Access Course to Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Naomi Marie Agius, Nicky Aquilina, Paul Aquilina, Isaac Azzopardi, Maris Callus, Kirsten Camilleri, Lara Camilleri, Matthew Cardona, Nicholas Caruana, Christine Ciantar, Rachel Cini, Daniela Cremona, Matthew Galea, Rachel Galea, Tracy Grech, Emma Hickey, Nadia Maniscalco, Antonella Montanaro, Luke Muscat, Emma Pace, Tessa Pisani, Lara Schembri, Analise Seychell, Mireille Tanti and Nicolas Warzee.

MCAST-BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
Rosemarie Abela, Veronique Azzopardi, Francesca Borg, Rebecca Bullock, Richard Ca-chia, Kathleen Calleja, Stephanie Cassar, Lara Chetcuti, Ishmael Cocker, Cassandra Cutajar, Alexander Ferrante, Sara Galea, Roxanne Gatt, Adrian Gauci, Andre Gialanze, Rachael Grech, Kaya Jabar, Gian Luca Mercieca, Kurt Micallef, Matthew Muscat Drago, Yana Pace Decesare, Raul Pace, Shawn Pace, Nicole Saliba, Elisa Savona Ventura, Mark Vincent Schembri, Sarah Maria Scicluna, Emma Scudamore, Ayrton John Sims, Carl Vella, Keith Vella, Sarah Jane Vella, Steve Vella, Vanessa Walker, Tamara Webb, Brendan Zammit and Ruth Zammit.

Level 4

MCAST-BTEC Higher National Diploma in 3D Design
Josmar Azzopardi, Sarah Ann Bartolo, Antonella Calleja, Lorraine Callus, Donna Cassar, Rebecca Cilia, Tatiana Coleiro, Paul Farrugia, Mathilde Friggieri, Roderick Galea, Joseph Sant, Christabelle Vella, Trudy Xuereb and Ritienne Zammit.

MCAST-BTEC Higher National Diploma in Graphic Design
Nigel Anastasi, Claire Azz-opardi, Jeanine Azzopardi, Chiara Bonello, Jessica Camilleri, Joseph Caruana, Luke Caruana, Raycine Cassar, James Raymond Cutajar, Joel Benjamin Cutajar, Manuel Delia, Glenn Grech, Julian Mallia, Paul James Mizzi, Kane o'Flaherty, Roderick Pace, Daniel Paolella, Cladonia Scerri, Mark Scicluna, Matthew Karl Stroud, Rowena Theuma and Jessica Tonna.

Maritime Institute

Level 3

OIC Navigational Watch
Pauline Bonnici, Roderick Borg, Carmen Darmanin, Steve Gauci, David Mercieca, Mark Mercieca, Giovanni Bartolo, Abigail Sammut and Edwin Vella.

Institute of Agribusiness

Level 3

MCAST-BTEC National Diploma in Agriculture (Agribusiness)
Andrea Abela, Joseph Bonnici, Gian Carlo Borg, Oriana Jane Chircop, Matthew Dimech, Ian Falzon, Chris Gatt, Matthew Muscat and Manuel Zammit.

Level 4

MCAST-BTEC Higher National Diploma in Animal Management
Tracy Borg, Kenneth Cassar and Ruby Jones.

Institute of Business & Commerce

Level 3

MCAST Certificate in Administrative & Secretarial Studies
Therese Agius, Andrew Barbara, Sarah Bonnici, Melissa Borg, Melanie Briffa, Kay Bugeja, Graziella Buhagiar, Sarah Jane Buhagiar, Leona Busuttil, Stephanie Calleja, Marilyn Cassar, Maria Chetcuti, Alessia De Battista, Claire Dimech, Priscilla Ellul, Jessica Falzon, Yasmine Farrugia, Conrad Fava, Joanne Fenech, Farika Galea, Kelly Grech, Graziella Magro, Elaine Mamo, Rachel Micallef, Dorianne Mifsud, Kimberly Mintoff, Raiza Mizzi, Marylynn Saliba, Janice Schembri, Rachel Schembri, Mirabelle Anne Sciberras, Monique Sciberras, Daniela Spiteri, Stephanie Spiteri and Matthew Xuereb.

MCAST Certificate in Marketing Studies
Joanna Balzan, Donatella Bonello, Terry Caselli, Victoria Cutajar, Christina Falzon, Ryan Farrugia, Owen Formosa, Taya Felicia Galea, Janine Micallef Cesareo, Antoine Sammut, Bernice Vella, John Vella, Lydon Vella and David Zammit.

MCAST-BTEC National Certificate in Business
Francesca Agius, Matthew Mark Agius, Keith Attard, Krista Azzopardi, Rachael Azzopardi, Stephanie Bonaci, Roderick Borg, Catherine Caruana, Jes-sica Farrugia, Elaine Fenech, Annalise Gatt, Mark Anthony Mallia, Caroline Meilak, Benjamin Scerri, Raisa Schembri, Stefania Teuma, Christina Theuma, Alexander Vella, Carl Patrick Zammit and Georgina Zammit.

Matriculation Certificate Course
Renita Agius, Gabriel Azzopardi, Francesca Baldacchino, Maria Theresa Bonnici, Brenda Bugeja, Tezara Camilleri, Daphne Caruana, Dorian Caruana, Elaine Cassar, Vincent Ciantar, Jurgen Connell, Rachel Cutajar, Christina Dalmas, Oriana Farrugia, Roseann Fava, Maria Christina Friggieri, Marianne Grima, Rodianne McIntyre, Marylaine Polidano, Triza Schembri, Maria Victoria Schiavone, Roger Seychell, Stacey Spiteri, Anthea Vella, Maria Roberta Vella, Annrica Zammit, Jessica Zammit and Marissella Zammit.

Level 4

Accounting Technician Certificate
Matthew Borg, Aaron Caruana, Steven Cortis, Karl Portelli, Patrizio Saliba, Rodianne Spiteri, Vanessa Spiteri, Bjorn Zammit, Daniela Zammit, Sabrina Schiavone and Mandy Viacava.

Diploma in Banking and Financial Services
Marica Agius, Keith Attard, Luana Attard, Daphne Baldacchino, Karl Bonavia, Nadine Bonnici, Jessica Borg, Clive Brincat, Joanna Buhagiar, Marilyn Camilleri, Andre Caruana, Danelle Caruana, Christine Cassar, Stefania Cassar, Kylie Cauchi, Maria Ciappara, David Debattista, Sharon Debono, Elton Dimech, Vanessa Falzon, Christina Farrugia, Emanuel Farrugia, Giovanni Farrugia, Samuel Luke Fenech, Nicholas Galea, Anneliese Gatt, Gianella Gauci, Marie Elise Izzo, Dorianne Magri, Marco Mercieca, Diane Mifsud, Mark Mifsud, Alison Psaila, Sarah Jane Saliba, Adonia Sammut, Lesley Ann Scerri, Elaine Sestito, Audrienne Stivala, Shirlene Testa, Christiana Vella, Sarah Vella, David Zammit and Amy Zarb.

Diploma in Insurance Studies
Veronica Aquilina.

MCAST-BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business
Luke Attard, Jack Bartolo Parnis, Henry Bonello, Elaine Bonnici, Judy Marie Catania, Tanita Incorvaja, Eman Mifsud, Leonette Schembri and Keith Zammit.