Education is one of the three pillars, together with the economy and the environment, on which the government wants to build the country.

In this particular sector, there is no doubt that the government is sticking to the promise it has made. Education is the foundation on which every society is built, and the government is leaving no stone unturned to give Maltese youngsters the right opportunities for them to succeed. In doing so, they will be securing a better future for themselves as individuals and for the country as a whole.

There were times when education was not given the importance it deserved. The older generations will remember the difficulties encountered in the sector in the early 1980s, when the then Labour government entered into separate disputes with both the Malta Union of Teachers and with the Church. Entrance to the university was restricted to a few students and some courses were only available every two years.

The situation is completely different today. Church schools are still up and running, the number of private schools has increased and the government’s own schools have been upgraded, both in terms of physical amenities and also through the type of educational services being offered.

The university doors have been opened wide and today there are 10,000 students following courses there. Added to this, the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology has been opened to offer a different type of tertiary education, and 6,000 students have taken up the offer. The Institute of Tourism Studies provides its own courses in a sector that also needs to be well taken care of.

The budget, as presented by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi last Wednesday, continues to show the government’s commitment to the education

sector. Investment in education has been increased by Lm12 million to Lm121 million, the highest ever amount to be devoted to education. In all, every

student in every education sector will be benefiting from the equivalent of Lm1,332 in recurrent

expenditure.

Dr Gonzi went on to list measures to be taken to further improve the education system, adding that the government must see that it works hand in hand with both Church and private schools, as they form an integral part of the educational set-up.

It was also announced that parents who send their children to private schools will have the deduction from their taxable income doubled from Lm200 in the primary sector and Lm300 in the secondary sector to Lm400 and Lm600 respectively.

This is being done to ease the financial burden on families who choose to send their children to private schools, and it is hoped that such schools will not take advantage of this and increase their fees more than they have been doing.

It would perhaps be appropriate to also extend this tax concession to parents who send their children to Church schools – who, of course, do not pay fees but are free to send in donations. Parents whose children attend Church schools pay their taxes as those whose children attend private schools do, and although the donations are lower than the fees, it would certainly be an incentive to pay such donations if the amount paid was tax-deductible.

The government’s total investment in the education sector – from kindergarten level to the tertiary sector – is commendable.

The reform that is currently taking place in state schools – with the setting up of colleges – is also a positive idea, although its success will not be seen in the short-term. But the first steps being taken today will lead to an overall improvement in a sector that is vital for the future of the country.

In a world that is becoming more competitive every day, it is important that there are solid foundations, and these can only be laid in an education system that gives everyone – the more intelligent and the less intelligent – the chance to succeed.