The rate of 19-year-olds choosing to further their studies increased drastically ever since the Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology opened six years ago. In fact, this rate increased from 43 per cent in 2001 to 70 per cent this year, Education, Youth and Employment Minister Louis Galea said yesterday.

Dr Galea was speaking at a media conference at the new building that will house 600 MCAST students following courses in the Institute of Community Services.

The government’s aim is for MCAST to be at a par with the University of Malta with regard to the level of courses on offer, said Dr Galea, adding that the increase in the number of applicants this year was clearly a result of the government’s commitment to increase the number of young people who further their studies in line with the Lisbon Agenda.

MCAST is currently processing 3,000 applications – an increase of about 400 students, meaning an average growth of 14 per cent over last year.

The government made use of EU funds, investing Lm858,600 (EUR2 million) in the new building that will house the Institute of Community Services, which was previously split at two different buildings in Sliema and Msida.

Flanked by MCAST board president Paul Attard, the college principal, Frank Edwards and the institute’s director, Dorothy Meli, the minister said the institute is a point of reference in the community services training sector.

The institute offers courses in hairdressing, beauty therapy, health and social care of children and the elderly, health studies, sports, wellness and even a diploma for dental surgery assistants.

Boasting state-of-the-art equipment, the institute is the country’s most modern institute of its type and should provide an excellent space for students to receive training, the minister said, adding that more than 600 students would be able to make use of the institute.

The building includes 14 classrooms, four hairdressing salons, two beauty salons, a crafts workshop and a science lab that all include preparation rooms, a health care lab, a multipurpose room, a music and drama room, two stores, a staff room, three offices, a boardroom and two kitchenettes.

Dr Galea said the government’s investment at MCAST from EU funds amounted to more than Lm1,159,110 (EUR2.7 million) from the European Regional Development Fund and about Lm429,300 (EUR1 million) from the European Social Fund.

Other funds from the European Regional Development Fund were also used for a number of other projects at the college’s Gozo centre and the Library and Learning Resource Centre, among others.

MCAST has come up with a number of other projects that could be EU-funded. These include improving facilities and purchasing equipment for the institutes of mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, building and construction and ICT.

Another proposal that could be EU-funded would be to substantially increase the number of solar panels at the college.

In the coming five years, MCAST is expected to benefit from more than EUR18 million (Lm7.7 million) in EU funding, apart from other funding that the government is expected to provide.

Minister Galea also mentioned the Lm50 million (EUR116 million) project for the construction of a new MCAST campus, which would continue improving the quality of training and courses offered at the college.

During his visit to MCAST yesterday morning, Dr Galea also met the members of the recently set up MCAST students’ council, who will be able to meet at the new students house that is currently under construction.