From Prof. F. Ventura

Marisa Micallef’s opinion piece (TMIS, 13 August) on the requirement of Maltese for admission to university could be a positive contribution to the debate on access to tertiary education in Malta. However, her assertion regarding the SEC Maltese examination is negative, unfair and verges on the libellous. She is wrong in extrapolating her personal experience when taking the Maltese examination many years ago to the situation today.

When MATSEC examinations were established in 1994, a distinction was made between paper setters and paper markers. All subjects have a paper setters’ panel consisting of a small number of examiners and a markers’ panel that could consist of a much larger group of examiners. All of them sign a declaration about their eligibility to set and mark examinations. One of the eligibility criteria precludes those who give private lessons in the subject of examination or a closely related subject. Other criteria and procedures provide safeguards to ensure confidentiality.

By using an unjust and damaging comparison, Ms Micallef simply weakens her case.

Frank Ventura

Chairman

MATSEC Board