Students living with ADHD, autism or dyslexia should not be made victims of "overly bureaucratic and archaic" assessment systems, Alternattiva Demokratika has said.
"The exam and assessment process should encourage learning and not be a barrier," said AD spokesperson Anna Azzopardi, who welcomed a report which found that MATSEC arrangements for students with the aforementioned conditions were not sufficient to ensure they faced exams "on a truly level ground with other candidates."
Half the success rate
The report by Commissioner for Education Charles Farrugia, titled 'Good: Can be Better', found that the success rate for students living with ADHD, autism or dyslexia was less than half that of other candidates.
While some of that difference could be put down to innate ability, the report found, insufficient access to support at University also played a role.
Prof. Farrugia noted that the University had achieved some "good work" in this regard, but said parents were also justified in calling for better access arrangements for their children.
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"Parents repeatedly stressed to the Commissioner that they do not want their children to obtain de-valued University certificates," the report noted. "Neither do they want their children to take unfair advantages over other candidates They want the University authorities to treat their children as 'Different But Equal' to other candidates."
The Commissioner for Education forms part of the Office of the Ombudsman. Prof. Farrugia was spurred to conduct the study into access arrangements after noting that some parents felt existing arrangements did not go far enough.
AD welcomes report
In its statement, AD endorsed the report and said support and access arrangements should be easily accessible by all and that finances "should not be a further barrier."
"The MATSEC board should be ready and open to embrace new technologies as part of a changing world," AD said, adding that for young people to be able to perform to their potential, they had to be given "an equitable and efficient start."