The Moviment Zaghzagh Partit Nazzjonalista (MZPN) yesterday praised the government’s decision to grant stipends to a number of students attending the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology, Junior College and the Higher Secondary whose stipends have been withheld since October.

In a statement, the MZPN said the decision would positively affect around 450 students whose stipend was withheld in view of doubts on whether they were repeating their course. The movement said the decision showed the government’s commitment to introduce measures to urge students to continue their studies.

It said that while in 1996 there were 10,000 students following a post-secondary and tertiary course, this figure had doubled last year.

The movement said education was a priority for the government which had invested a record Lm126 million this year.