'Students cannot start their summer due to results delay' - KSU

KSU protest delays in end-of-year results • Video by Ray Attard

Students are the ones suffering the most from the ongoing strike involving Junior College and University lectures, whereby the publishing of end-of-year examination results is being suspended, KSU president Gayle Lynn Callus said this morning.

"We are here to take the stand for only one party and that is the students," Callus said. "During the ongoing dialogue, no one seems to be considering the rights of the students, even though they are suffering most through this whole debate."

Callus said that a survey carried out by student publication Insite showed that 80% of the 400-student sample were still awaiting their results. Excluding the second year students at Junior College and students in their final year at University, who were not affected by the strike, this still equated to an estimate of around 6000 students, Callus said.

"Those that have studied and worked tremendously hard to do well in their exams now find themselves as puppets in a debate they are not even involved in," he said. "We understand the concerns of the parties involved but it is high time someone understood our concerns too. We are not chess pawns."

Callus said that KSU have so far received "at least 50 phone calls and over 200 emails" from students and their families concerned with the situation.

The KSU president said that a delay in the publication of results could have far-reaching consequences, with Erasmus hopefuls at risk of missing their deadlines, students with possible resits not having the adequate period to study for their second sittings, revision of paper deadlines fast approaching, and Gozitan students missing out on accommodation in Malta.

"This situation is completely unacceptable in any modern, democratic and European society," he said. "We absolutely cannot condone such behaviour."

Callus added that KSU will later on today be posting an online application onto their website where persons can voice their anonymous complaints or concerns. Students will also be able to post the University study-units they are still awaiting results of.