The School Councils Association was reported to have made positive comments on the Labour plan for education especially with regards to the concept of student-centred education.

Speaking during a visit to Labour Leader Dr Alfred Sant, association president Joe Giordemaina said that the group is made up from various parents of children from several schools around Malta and Gozo.

An MLP statement quoted Mr Giordemaina as saying that the association agreed with the concept in the Labour plan regarding effective spending on education especially to combat the problem of illiteracy.

Dr Sant said that a new Labour government would give priority to education as it had done in the 1996-98 administration.

He also referred to the illiteracy problem adding that the plan called for serious steps to be taken to combat this scourge in a short period of time.

The Labour Leader also met the board of governors of MCAST who paid him a visit to discuss the party’s plan for education.

During the meeting, Dr Sant said that MCAST should emphasise on the need to fill the void created by the closure of trade schools.

He said that it was important for MCAST certificates and qualifications to be recognised by the University of Malta.

MCAST principal Paul Attard said that the college managed to put educational and vocational training on the map within a relatively short period although there was still a lot that remained to be done.

He said that the college will be offering 89 full time courses in Malta and 13 in Gozo.