The Nationalist Party has said that Gozitan students at the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) in Gozo were being “abandoned by a system that is supposed to be inclusive” and that “our country’s education system is still far from being truly inclusive.”
Despite months of discussions between the Voice for Inclusion Gozo Association and the ITS administration, three students with disabilities who have completed compulsory education remain without assistance a month and a half into the scholastic year and are still being deprived of post-secondary education at the Institute, the PN said.
The party said that at the start of the academic year, it appeared that ITS was prepared to cater for these students, yet to date it has failed to provide the necessary LSEs. This has resulted in a situation where two students are unable to attend any lessons due to the lack of educational support, while another student is unable to classes held in the kitchen.
“This failure represents not only an institutional shortcoming but also a violation of the fundamental right to education that every student is entitled to, regardless of disability. Students with disabilities have the right to continue their education in a safe, accessible, and inclusive environment just like all other students,” the party said.
The PN called on the educational authorities and the ITS to ensure that no student with a disability is left out of the education system, even after the end of compulsory schooling.
“Inclusive education is neither a favour nor a privilege; it is a fundamental right. Any delay or lack of action only deepens the marginalisation of children and young people who are already facing serious challenges,” the PN said.
The PN demanded concrete action now, “not yet another unfulfilled promise or action that comes too late for our children and youth.”
The statement was signed by PN MPs Graziella Galea, the Shadow Minister for Inclusion and Consumer Rights; Albert Buttigieg, the Shadow Minister for Neurodiversity and Child Protection; Chris Said, Shadow Minister for Gozo; and Mario de Marco, Shadow Minister for Tourism.
ITS 'reaffirms commitment to inclusive education and student support'
The Institute of Tourism Studies, in response, said that the case referred to in the Nationalist Party's statement "does not reflect any negligence or lack of commitment to inclusive education. On the contrary, over recent months, especially throughout the past academic year, ITS has made every effort to secure the most suitable specialised professionals to provide the required support for the three students with disabilities."
"Two official calls for Learning Associates (LAs) were made to identify those qualified individuals who have the necessary competencies to operate in a vocational learning environment that focuses on food preparation and service. However, the response to this call was not positive and there were no successful candidates for the immediate provision of this support."
ITS said that there is currently a third call open for LAs.
"At the same time, ITS has carried out all the necessary educational and professional reports including educational psychological assessments, Occupational Therapy reports, and those related to health and safety in the workplace, in order to ensure that the health and safety of these students remain an absolute priority. It should also be noted that the curriculum offered at the ITS Gozo campus is based on practical learning in the field of food preparation and service, which involves the use of professional equipment in an environment that can be risky if they do not comply with health and safety protocols or if there is no appropriate level of support."
"In this context, ITS has been working on an alternative learning programme for these students in order to provide them with the best possible post-secondary learning experience, in a safe, structured and adapted environment to their needs."
ITS said that it remains firmly committed to putting educational inclusion into practice and to ensuring that every student, regardless of ability, has the chance to reach their full potential in an environment of respect, safety, and professionalism.
"Currently, around 10% of students at ITS in both Malta and Gozo are supported by Learning Associates due to cognitive or physical conditions, while still following the same curriculum offered by the Institute. In certain cases, however, where a disability makes it impossible to adapt the standard minimum curriculum, a specialised programme must be developed to uphold the Institute's high standards of quality and certification assurance."