Updated | MCAST says video intended at harming College's relations with Libya

Updated with MCAST reaction at 1:06pm

The Malta College for Arts and Sciences has denied that a video uploaded onto YouTube by a Libyan student shows invigilators helping students completing their ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence) examinations in 2011.

The five-minute video was secretly filmed by a student during the third module of an ECDL core exam held at the MCAST Test Centre, Paola in March 2011, in which Maltese invigilators are alleged to be typing in answers for exam questions. But MCAST has categorically denied these allegations.

At various points in the video the two invigilators are heard discussing ways in which to avoid having students receive the same final score for the exam. The video pauses to take in the front page of an edition of The Times, dated 22 March, to establish the date of the exam.

It was uploaded by a certain Malek Qutait on Match 11 2013 - almost exactly two years after the event - who asserts that MCAST had "cheated" the Libyan government "of around €2 million", and described the exam as a case of "fraud against the EU with ECDL Tests for 75 Libyan Government workers."

It is understood that all 75 Libyan students, who came to Malta to do the course as part of an agreement between the two governments, dating back to the Gaddafi era, passed their ECDL examinations.

The video was uploaded together with a very rudimentary English explanation (also accompanied by text in Arabic). "This is real and original proof film secretly by Libyan students training with me in Malta during a ECDL examination... Film show MCAST official persons make the 3rd Module of ECDL Core exam in March 2011 instead of Libyan students. What happened in Malta is a SHAME for the professional of MCAST teachers and institution. [sic]"

Reference is also made to plans for a new MCAST campus to be opened in Misurata, Libya - announced by former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi last October. "In Libya we listen MCAST has plan to come to Misurata for teach all Libyan people and if what I experience will be repeat, I prefer if MCAST never come. I feel I learn nothing from them. [sic]"

MCAST reaction

"The allegations that MCAST invigilators completed any tests on behalf of any students is completely false. The video that gives the mistaken impression to be corroborating the user's allegation shows invigilators checking computers to ensure that they were functioning properly, ahead of an upcoming test session. No test was taking place when the video was filmed," a spokesperson for the College said.

MCAST also said the allegations that the Libyan government paid €2 million to MCAST for the training of Libyan students are completely false.

"The contract that is being referred to was valued at €174,906. MCAST had entered into an agreement with the Libyan government to provide ICT training for up to a maximum of 75 Libyan students in Malta in 2011, a few months before the beginning of the Libyan Revolution. All students who started this training and registered to sit for ECDL tests completed their examinations before leaving Malta."

MCAST said it is in possession of the attendance records of all test sessions included as part of this agreement, each of which is signed by the students who were receiving this training.

"No results were issued to students who did not actually complete the exams. Some of the students who received training through this agreement did not successfully complete their studies. Similar allegations to the ones presented in the YouTube video were sent to international ECDL officials in October 2011. MCAST immediately investigated the allegations and found them to be completely groundless."

MCAST said that the fact that the video was released almost two years after it was filmed indicates that its intention is not to uncover wrongdoings, "but to hamper relations between MCAST and the new Libyan government at a crucial stage when the College is launching new collaborations to provide vocational education programmes in Libya to assist this country in its educational development."

"MCAST reiterates that it is unacceptable for individuals to make false allegations and serious threats against the College. It reserves the right to seek legal redress for any damages caused by this unwarranted attempt to tarnish the College's reputation."

ECDL is a European certification for qualified computer operators, administered by the Ireland-based ECDL Foundation, of which MCAST is the local accredited test centre.

In October 2005, ECDL Malta was named global winner of the New Licensee Award at the first ECDL Foundation Licensee Awards in Zurich.

This award was presented to ECDL Malta in recognition of the high performance of the ECDL programme in Malta.