Current precarious situations continue to show a crisis in the education sector, the Nationalist Party has said.
An MCAST student had sent an email highlighting concerning conditions in a sector of MCAST in Paola. "We have lectures at Block 'M'. Whilst waiting for a lecture today, a couple of metews away, a huge chunk of the ceiling fell. It would have been a huge tragedy if someone was standing underneath it," the student said.
The Times of Malta quotes an MCAST spokesperson as saying that maintenance works in the area - Block M and L - had been ongoing since November 10. The spokesperson told the Times that, following the Occupational Health and Safety Authority inspection on 21 November, MCAST will appoint an architect and civil engineer to further inspect and assess the premises' stability. It also quotes the spokesperson as saying that the area will not be used for educational purposes until the official report is published and clearance is given.
In reaction, the PN said that the current precarious situations continue to show a crisis in the education sector.
"In a moment where our educators find themselves in a struggle with the government to get what is rightfully due to them, namely an increase in wages and improvements in their working conditions, we now also have students at MCAST fighting for what is rightfully theirs," the PN said, adding that this means an appropriate and secure educational institution without dangers for them to study in.
The Nationalist Party, while acknowledging that MCAST is undergoing continuous and substantial investment with funds generated from the European Union, said that it cannot remain silent and accept that in this vital institution which hosts thousands of students, there are hazardous structures that require immediate attention in buildings where lectures are held.
The PN noted with satisfaction that the administration has made the decision for students to attend lectures online, although it is expected that this will only be a temporary decision until a solution is found, and students can then return to the campus in Paola.
"It is very disappointing that this decision for student safety was taken only after videos and pictures circulated in the media," the PN said.
It said that despite the government's continuous pride in infrastructure investment in the education sector, cases like these confirm that the country still has a long way to go.
"The Nationalist Party urges government to ensure that every school and educational institution is completely safe for Maltese students, and where immediate maintenance or renovation is needed, this should be done without delay," it said, adding that all students are equal and each deserve the best.