From Mr C. Saliba

In the Special Course requirements for entry to the Undergraduate Courses in 2008, the Students Advisory Services states that for the course leading to doctorate in medicine and surgery, a candidate needs:

1. A grade B or better pass in Biology and Chemistry in the Matriculation Certificate at advanced level and

2. A pass in the Matriculation Certificate at intermediate level at grade B or better in any one of the following subjects… (several subjects)

These are also required for the next two years, that is 2009 and 2010.

As everyone is aware, Malta is suffering a shortage of doctors and, even worse, many doctors are leaving the island to work in other countries.

Why does the University of Malta not lower the grades from B or better to at least C or better with immediate effect? If required, a Legal Notice will regulate this needed cause, that is ‘C or better’, so that the number of students will increase. Then, in five years’ time the number of graduate doctors will be more than it is now according to the present system.

I am sending this petition to all parties in Malta so that this important cause is tackled as an urgent national one.

I believe that Maltese and Gozitan should run our health service and not foreign doctors who come to fill such posts in Malta.

Therefore we need to open the gates of our university to more students.

The same should be done to have more nurses.

Carmel Saliba

VICTORIA