Arts and humanities ignored as ministry hikes up STEM university stipends

Student organisations have spoken out against the lack of higher stipends for degrees in the arts and humanities, after STEM subjects were accorded better university stipends.

Moviment Graffitti led a coalition of student organisations who called out the “continued disrespect towards the Arts and Humanities” in the qualifications for courses to have higher stipends.

The education ministry announced 36 courses qualifying for higher stipends, with a view of guiding graduates towards particular industries.

The student NGOs said this tactic was churning out workers geared for business interests rather than intellectual growth. “It continues to perpetuate the idea that the primary goal of education is merely to serve as a stepping-stone towards employment. We wholly disagree with the ministry’s assertion that a mere additional €80 a month will act as a significant incentive for which course future students choose to devote their time to during their student lives. Instead, these €80 serve to establish a hierarchy between the courses that supposedly positively benefit society, and those that supposedly do not.”

The NGOs said the ministry’s alliance with business interests was demonstrated in a statement that promoted the “the assurance of economic growth in sectors of advanced manufacturing and a new economy, high quality infrastructure and the environment”, “the preparation for the employment of the future.”

“We reject the belief that society only benefits when the national GDP grows,” the student NGOs said. “This is an unsustainable, naive, and fundamentally untrue belief. In our society, plagued by issues of corruption, lack of democratic principles and inequality, the Arts and Humanities are necessary for its betterment.”

The NGOs said that a society benefitted from highly skilled workers but also a well-functioning one with highly-skilled critics, who are capable of assessing the integrity of political decisions, democratically push for the greater good, and call out the government when they betray the people they represent.

They also said the Arts and Humanities lead to a culture of critical thought throughout society, creative expression, understanding different perspectives, cherishing of aesthetics, history and culture. “These merits are invaluable to society, and are deserving of the adequate allocation of resources,” the NGOs said.

The ministry has also said specific STEM courses will benefit from a €375 monthly in a bid to address a teacher shortage. But the NGOs said this initiative fails to address the overwhelming workload and poor mental health support that drives out teachers from the profession.

“It is also offensive to students that the ministry assumes a monthly sum that is not even a third of what is required by a single person to live decently, would cause students to change their choice in course. We demand the Ministry of Education stop side-lining the Arts and Humanities, and to seriously reconsider their methods of addressing the problems we have in society.”

The statement was endorsed by Moviment Graffitti, HoASA - The History of Art and Fine Arts Student Association, Betapsi, SPS - Students' Philosophical Society, JEF Malta, MotivArti, IASTE Malta - International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience, University of Malta Rowing Club, ALLT - Association of Linguistics and Language Technology, CSA - Criminology Students Association, SACES - Society of Architecture and Civil Engineering Students, USPA - University Students of Performing Arts, MUHS - Malta University Historical Society, GħMU - Għaqda tal-Malti Università, ESO - European Studies Organisation, The Third Eye, MIRSA – Malta International Relations Students Association and Kolletiv Żgħażagħ EkoXellugin.