The Commission for Higher Education will be instrumental if the country is to achieve the academic growth specified by the Lisbon Agenda, Education Minister Louis Galea said yesterday.
Speaking in parliament after tabling a ministerial statement, Dr Galea said that the commission’s interim terms of reference had been formulated to enable it to function smoothly, before it was actually incorporated as law.
In reply, Opposition Leader Alfred Sant asked why the commission included no representative from the university and why one of the minister’s staff was present on the commission.
Opposition spokesperson on education Carmelo Abela asked why the commission did not include a secretariat. He also asked whether the legislation relating to the commission was going to include a period for discussion.
Another Labour MP, Evarist Bartolo asked why the commission did not include any representatives from the business sector and what its function within the National Reform Programme was, while Labour deputy leader Charles Mangion asked what the actual specifics of the commission’s plans were.
Replying, Dr Galea said that the commission was not a representative one and could not function properly if that was the case. He said that this commission is a consultative one and acts as a buffer between the government and higher education institutions.
The Education Minister said that “we have moved considerably forward in the educational sector” since 1998, especially with the establishment of MCAST. He said that this college was earmarked for further development in the second tier of higher education, bringing it closer to university level.
Dr Galea said that the commission was an important tool to continue the important reforms that government was undertaking in the educational sector, especially with regard to higher education. He said that the commission had until 7 April to report on the eventual setting up of a secretariat.
Minister Galea said that although the commission had been set up with interim terms of reference, the eventual aim of its setting up was for it to have specific goals to attain. He said that the commission’s members were all professionals and experts in their respective fields, having attained high academic qualifications and extensive experience.
Dr Galea said that the commission was an essential component of the NRP to attain the goals of the Lisbon Agenda.
Labour MP Joe Debono Grech thanked all members of the House, the Speaker and all those who in any way showed solidarity after the sad passing away of his wife last week.
Nationalist whip Mario Galea commented on an article that was published in The Malta Independent on Sunday, which commented on absenteeism in the House. He said that on that particular day when he was reported to have been absent, he was acting as an observer in the Palestinian elections.
The House then discussed the relevant amendments to the Budget Measures Implementation Bill at committee stage, with government MP John Dalli calling for clarification on how property valuations are made and declared.
Dr Charles Mangion asked on how the “hybrid” system of the Final Withholding Tax would eventually be applied. Parliamentary Secretary Tonio Fenech said that with regard to benchmarking, this could eventually be worked out for property valuations in specific areas.
Mr Dalli also called on the Parliamentary Secretary to drop the amendments to the Capital Gains Act, as they would bring about substantial hardship, especially for companies which have property as part of their assets.