Malta’s Education Ministry is “side-lining” the Arts And Humanities in favour of university courses that aim to “churn out workers instead of promote intellectual growth” according to activist group Moviment Graffitti, on behalf of 17 other student organisations.

Their statement comes after the Ministry announced 36 new courses which will receive higher stipends, including social work, Earth Systems and Artificial Intelligence… but not courses in arts and humanities.

A new classification system will see students receive amounts according to their courses labelled general, prescribed, and high priority.

Students following a general course will receive €106 every month, €187 for prescribed ones and €375 for high-priority students.

“We believe that this initiative fails to benefit students adequately and continues to perpetuate the idea that the primary goal of education is merely to serve as a stepping stone towards employment,” the group said.

Appreciation and respect for the Arts and Humanities leads to a culture of critical thought throughout society, the promotion of creative expression, the understanding of different perspectives, and the cherishing of aesthetics, history and culture, the activists added.

“While a society indeed benefits from highly skilled workers, a well-functioning one needs highly skilled critics, who are capable of assessing the integrity of political decisions, democratically push for the greater good, and when necessary, calling out the government and the authorities when they betray the people they represent.”

The Ministry also announced slight increases in stipends to those who promise to become educators after graduating, in an attempt to solve Malta’s teacher crisis. However, the group warned that throwing money at the problem will not work.

“While we are in favour of the raising of stipends, this is not a solution to solving the education crisis and teacher shortage in the country. This initiative fails to address the issues that are causing people to not choose the teaching profession, and teachers to leave the profession in droves, such as an overwhelming workload, and poor mental health support.”

“It is also offensive to students that the Ministry assumes a monthly sum that is not even a third of what is required by a single person to live decently, which would cause students to change their choice in the course.”

1. Movement Graffitti

2. HoASA – The History of Art and Fine Arts Student Association

3. Betapsi

4. SPS – Students’ Philosophical Society

5. JEF Malta

6. MotivArti

7. IASTE Malta – International Association for the exchange of Students for Technical Experience

8. University of Malta Rowing Club

9. ALLT – Association of Linguistics and Language Technology

10. CSA – Criminology Students Association

11. SACES – Society of Architecture and Civil Engineering Students

12. USPA – University Students of Performing Arts

13. MUHS – Malta University Historical Society

14. GħMU – Għaqda tal-Malti Università

15. ESO – European Studies Organisation

16. The Third Eye

17. MIRSA- Malta International Relations Students Association

18. KŻE – Kolletiv Żgħażagħ EkoXellugin

The formation of the “high-priority” category by the Ministry offers students enrolled in specific STEM courses €375 a month to study as a means of addressing the current teacher shortage. This approach serves as further proof of the authorities’ shortsightedness and the unviability of their strategy.

While we are in favour of the raising of stipends, this is not a solution to solving the education crisis and teacher shortage in the country. This initiative fails to address the issues that are causing people to not choose the teaching profession, and teachers to leave the profession in droves, such as an overwhelming workload, and poor mental health support.

It is also offensive to students that the Ministry assumes a monthly sum that is not even a third of what is required by a single person to live decently, would cause students to change their choice in course.

Furthermore, we wholly disagree with the Ministry’s assertion that a mere additional 80 euros a month will act as a significant incentive for which course future students choose to devote their time to during their student lives. Instead, these 80 euros serve to establish a hierarchy between the courses that supposedly positively benefit society, and those that supposedly do not.

The amount students receive depends on their courses, which are divided into three classifications – ‘general’,  ‘prescribed’, and ‘high priority’.

Students following a ‘general’ course will receive a stipend of €106 every four weeks. Those reading a ‘prescribed’ course receive a higher stipend of €187.

‘High priority’ course students will receive a rate of €375 every four weeks.

Do you agree with this statement?