A number of education institutes have been incessantly pressuring Economy Minister Chris Cardona over Malta Enterprise’s failure to launch the 2014 edition of the Get Qualified scheme, as they are losing money “left, right and centre.”

The scheme offers tax credits of up to 80% to those who undergo a course leading to a qualification approved by Malta Enterprise.

One representative of an institute who spoke to The Malta Independent said that people are holding back from applying for courses beginning in 2014 as they are waiting for the Get Qualified scheme to be launched in order to benefit from the tax credits.

Dr Cardona has repeatedly offered assurances that a new scheme will soon be unveiled. The issue cropped up in Parliament on Monday, with the Economy Minister saying that applications are open for courses which commenced last year.

He said that the scheme is currently being restructured in order to make it more appealing for those who apply as well as more relevant to today’s economy.

The Economy Minister did not bind himself to an exact date as to when the scheme will be launched, a fact that is worrying the education industry.

“We cannot continue to wait around without having a date. The number of applicants are markedly down as people are determined to play the waiting game in order to benefit from the credits,” one owner of an education institute said.

Neither of the two persons who spoke to The Malta Independent wished to be quoted by name for fear of reprisal by the government.

The failure to launch the 2014 edition of the scheme has also been raised at Prime Ministerial level.