The Government led by Robert Abela has lost yet another opportunity to improve education standards in our country, the Nationalist Party said Friday.

The Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) failed to secure its place on the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR), as Malta's application was rejected.

At the same time, the PN regretfully noted that, for yet another year, the Authority's budget has not been increased, leaving the MFHEA to fend for itself in terms of how it will operate and implement the necessary and expected changes required by the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) audit report conducted in 2023.

The EQAR register includes programmes and institutions of Higher Education that comply with European standards within the European Higher Education Area.

The Labour Government has completely ignored this development, and it was the Partit Nazzjonalista who raised the issue in Parliament.

The EQAR decision was based on an audit report carried out by ENQA in October 2023, which is published on their website here.

It is worth noting that the EQAR register comprises accreditation agencies recognised for their reputation both at a European and international level.

This is a significant blow to private institutions providing Higher Education in Malta, as it indicates that the assessment and accreditation practices employed by the MFHEA are not yet of a sufficiently high standard to meet European requirements and are not compliant with the European Standard Guidelines.

Such news could have repercussions for the investment private institutions are making in their credibility at both European and international levels.

This also impacts Malta's credibility in the higher education system, particularly when many educational institutions have invested heavily to meet the level expected by European standards.

The education strategy published by the Government last July made no reference to ENQA membership and did not indicate any efforts being made to ensure the Authority complies with European standards.

The Government needs to demonstrate greater commitment by providing adequate resources, greater financial investment, a strategic plan, and political will so that the Authority can achieve this goal, thereby significantly enhancing the credibility and value of Higher Education in Malta.

The PN said it will continue to consult with educational institutions and their administrators in the Higher Education sector to better understand the difficulties and challenges faced by this sector.

Education is the foundation of any society that wishes to move forward, and the Partit Nazzjonalista recognises and thanks the relentless work of all the Authority's employees in difficult circumstances where resources are severely limited and not prioritised by the Government.