The industrial battle between University lecturers and the government – which is keeping 6,000 students waiting for their exam results – is over a meagre €8 million over five years, The Malta Independent has learnt.

This is the increase that University lecturers are demanding in the revision of the collective agreement, sources close to the University of Malta Academic Staff Association (UMASA) and the Malta Union of Teachers told this newsroom.

This figure would amount to 2.5% increase over their current package, which is what other civil servants have obtained in their collective agreement, the sources added.

Until an agreement is reached, University lecturers are instructed by UMASA and MUT not to release the results of the exams held over the past weeks. The papers have been corrected but students are still waiting to know how they fared.

The students, for their part, are demanding to know the outcome of their efforts and their representatives – the KSU – have held a press conference and issued statements in this regard, the latest one today.

The industrial action was ordered after both the unions received a financial proposal from the University of Malta and the government which was not acceptable.

All university students, except for those in the final year, and all Junior College students are being affected by the industrial action, ordered by the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT) and the University of Malta Academic Staff Association (UMASA).

The non-publication of the results could prejudice students who would like to seek opportunities abroad, particularly in the medical field.

The Malta Independent today reported that a meeting between involved stakeholders and the ministry is to be held at the beginning of next week.

However, this newsroom is informed that a number of lecturers are not complying with the directive, and are handing in corrected results. A particular lecturer said he handed in the results a while ago, and all of them were published, stressing that the directive only applies to academics, and thus, if a lecturer hands in the results, then they are to be published.

When lecturers hand in corrected examination papers, they need to first go through supervision by a faculty officer, and examination board, before first being handed to the secretary to register them into the student’s digital account (esims)

MUT President Kevin Bonello said that lecturers were ordered to correct the results but not submit them. Asking whether he is aware that some lectures have submitted in the results, Mr Bonello said that at the end of the day, MUT is a democratic union, and they can’t force everyone to follow directives, adding that although there are no official statistics on who is following directives, the majority are doing so.

Asked about the situation regarding 4th year medical students, who are risking missing deadlines for opportunities abroad because they need a full transcript of results, Mr Bonello said that the union is well aware of the situation, and internal discussion within the union will evaluate the situation.

University of Malta Academic Staff Association (UMASA) Professor Matthew Montabello said that the association is not aware of all lecturers employed at the University of Malta and said he could not comment on whether all lecturers are following directive. Asking whether he aware of the situation with regard 4th year medical students, Profs Montabello said he is aware, however there is still time until the deadline.

PN reaction

In a press release, the Nationalist Party said students have yet again become victims of a Labour government, arguing that it is only due to the Prime Minister’s and Minister Evarist Bartolo’s inadequate leadership that students are still awaiting their results. Other students are risking missing deadlines to apply for opportunities abroad.

The PN, through its spokesman Joe Cassar, argued that while the Prime Minister was able to find €100 million to pay his Cabinet, he refuses to fund lecturers €8 million, adding that no government representative attended the meeting held between University of Malta Academic Staff Assocation (UMASA) and the Malta Union of Teachers (MUT).

Meanwhile, the PN expressed solidarity with students, joining them in their appeal for the situation to be resolved as soon as possible.

The PN concluded saying that prior to the election, the Prime Minister urged students to be protagonists and not simply an audience; however without publication of results, this is highly unlikely.

KSU petition

1,200 fill in KSU's petition in less than 4 hours

Over 1,200 petitioners in less than 4 hours have signed a KSU petition in this regard today, KSU said in a statement. 

Should the authorities concerned not consider so strong a message, it really would be clear just how for granted students have been taken in this negotiation, KSU said.

We urge more students and their families to join in this petition, to really make this message clear.
 

Delay may cause medical students to miss out on opportunities abroad

Enough is enough - KSU