The post of EU Programmes Agency national coordinator remains vacant after Mauro Pace Parascandalo stepped down when the EU education funds were suspended last year.

The coordinator’s job description is to “oversee and ensure the implementation of the tasks being carried out by the agency in order to achieve all objectives set” and authorise payments and have a say in decisions that would impact Eupa.

Mr Pace Parascandalo resigned in June last year after the European Commission ordered the suspension of the Lifelong Learning Programmes, including the popular Erasmus exchange programmes, over mismanagement, to the detriment of students who wanted to study abroad.

Education Ministry permanent secretary Christopher Bezzina and policy development director Robert Tabone had also resigned after the fiasco.

The suspension was partially lifted earlier this year, allowing students to apply for the programmes. However, they were still subject to the Commission’s final decision.

Reuben Pullicino is acting as coordinator until a replacement is found.

In March, a fruitless call for applications to fill the post was issued and a second call, closing on July 8, was made last month.

Meanwhile, students are still in the dark on whether they will be studying in another country or not in a few months’ time.