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May I refer to Anna Mallia’s article “Revamp those scholarships!” (MaltaToday, 17 September 2006).
Firstly, I must declare that my daughter was one of the unsuccessful applicants for this year’s award, and although this letter may sound like sour grapes, this is definitely not the case.
Dr Anna Mallia reveals that the adjudication of these scholarships in Malta is a sham in that they are allegedly allocated subjectively to preferred candidates and prior to any objective deliberation by the so called Selection Panel.
The most astounding fact is that only the chosen few (not necessarily on merit) get as far as obtaining an interview with a selection panel from the British Council (Malta), presumably made up of local adjudicators, which is directly answerable to the British High Commission.
The strange ‘modus operandi’ must be unique to Malta, although I have not yet received any confirmation in this regard from the director general of the British Council Organisation in the UK.
As Dr Mallia states, the fact that it is public funds that are distributed, it is expected that this scheme not only be an exercise in impartial adjudication for a successful scholarship bid, based exclusively on merit, but should also appear to be just that.
Malta seems to be stuck with a parochial system of scholarship awards which seems to have penetrated a foreign organisation of international repute.
This system of lobby and recommendation from influential circles should not only be disclosed by the supposedly impartial members of the selection panel but should also disqualify candidates who use such credentials.
It would be reassuring to the public at large and to sponsoring companies, as well as in keeping with the integrity and good auspices of the British Council, if the British High Commission look into the mechanics of the decision making leading to the choice of the successful candidates for the awards, through an independent committee possibly chaired by Dr Anna Mallia LL.M.(Lond), LL.D.
Ivor Zammit
Ta’ Xbiex
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