The student organisation Gozo University Group wants authorities to listen to its proposals more as “all we want is to better the life of Gozitan students”.

In an interview with The Malta Independent, GUG president Christine Sultana said that in its 36 years of operation the organisation has always worked hard to better the lives of Gozitan students.

She said that however, the only thing that has not changed in all these years is that the authorities have always left it to the last minute to honour any agreements that may have been reached.

In recounting a string of events, Sultana mentioned how during last academic year, there was an agreement with the Malta public transport for the X300 route to work on days during which the fast ferry does not operate.

Back then the X300 was a special direct route for students, which went directly to the University of Malta from Cirkewwa, “however despite there being a promise of such a service there were occasions where it did not operate”.

Moreover, the Malta Public Transport was expecting GUG officials to update Gozitan students through the group portal rather than on the MPT’s Facebook page.

Sultana said it was not the first time she had to update Gozitan students with what was happening by posting on the social media at 4am or thereabouts.

Since then, the issue has been resolved as Gozitan students now receive updates about the X300 operation directly from MPT.

However, in a further update, and if MPT honours the agreement between the two sides, the X300 bus route will start operating on a daily basis, rather than only when the fast ferry does not operate.

Additionally, it will also include MCAST’s main Campus as part of its route. This means that the bus route will also be helping other students attending another education institution.

Sultana said that despite efforts to make it easier for Gozitan students, many of them still see transport as the main challenge, with the GUG having to dedicate so much of its energy towards this particular issue.

Another challenge discussed during the interview was also accommodation.

Right now, Gozitan students are allocated a monthly €166 to cover travel expenses, regardless of whether the student resides in Malta during the week, and as long as their education institution is in Malta. Additionally students who are able to prove they are residing in Malta for the term of the scholastic year will also be given an additional provision of €100 per month. Despite this Sultana said that this is not enough to cover rent for one student, as the current average stands at €200 per person in one apartment.

However, Sultana noted that although such a requirement of residential proof is needed, some students cannot provide proof as they are living in an apartment without a contract. Additionally, for the €100 to be given, the other requirement is that in the apartment there cannot be more than three people.

Sultana said that this is not feasible as in most apartments rented to Gozitan students there is always a minimum of four students. On the matter, the GUG president said that although not falling within its remits, the group has discussed the matter with representatives from the Ministry of Education.

Sultana said the group still needs to work more on this matter, which also includes the setting of meetings with concerned authorities, including the Ministry for Gozo.

Another subject discussed was exams.

In the past the GUG worked endlessly to ensure that Gozitan students could attend their handwritten exams at the Gozo university campus. However, with the Covid-19 pandemic which brought other new challenges, the University of Malta has started to use software like Wiseflow to supervise exams, whilst students were doing them from home.

As the pandemic ended, the University kept the Wiseflow system for some exams, with the only difference being that this time the student would still need to go to the Malta campus with their own laptop. The GUG requested the possibility that Gozitan students can do these exams from the Gozo campus, a request that has been acceded to as from the next session in January.

Referring to last winter as an example, the GUG president said that there were many students who during stormy days in January had gone to the Gozo ferry terminal to wait to cross the channel at a time when ferry services were suspended because of rough seas.

When, in the past, the group tried to resolve the issue, it was met with excuses that the internet in Gozo is not good, or that the plugs at the Gozo Campus were not suitable.

The problem seems to have been solved. “Starting from the coming examinations session in January, these Wiseflow exams are going to be offered at the Gozo University Campus,” she said.

Sultana said that despite there being an agreement in place with concerned entities, the GUG is still unsure as to whether this will actually happen. We always have had to wait until the last minute to know that an agreement is going to be fulfilled.

Sultana concluded by saying that the GUG is also in talks with the Education ministry to discuss several of its proposals, with the hope that further issues will be resolved for the benefit of the Gozitan students.

She also said that the GUG is always there to listen to any queries that Gozitan student have “and will never stop pushing to better our student life in Malta”.