Forum urges government for more cooperation between UoM and schools

The 11-union confederation Forum said it supported the Malta Union of Teachers in its call for more cooperation between the University of Malta and all other schools, whether state, church or private ones.

“For.U.M. believes that through a concerted effort, a solution could easily be found,” Forum president John Bencini said, referring to the possibility that primary education, computing, French, history, mathematics, PE and science areas of study for the B.Ed teaching course could have a restricted intake due to lack of teaching placements.

“Gone are the days that the University of Malta, who now welcomes hundreds of foreign students, returns back to the past and starts adopting a numerus clausus thus impeding and restricting Maltese students to continue with their studies at the only Maltese University.”

Bencini said that - according to University regulations - the University is normally bound to inform prospective students of similar decisions normally two years before the decision is taken.

“In this case, the B.Ed course restrictions were only hinted at on July 20th, less than  two months ago and then informed students on the 16th of September, a few days ago,” Bencini said.

 “This is most unjust and unfair to all those students who were enthusiastically waiting to commence their university years only to find out at a very late hour that their future was indeed shattered.”