Students have new premises at Mcast

The inauguration tour started on the roof of the new building of the Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology.

But the 300 plus steps were well worth the effort: apart from the spectacular view – stretching out to the Grand Harbour – the roof offers a bird’s eye view of the ongoing €120 million education project, partly funded by the EU.

Despite the strong wind, the Prime Minister and the press were given a detailed explanation of each construction activity going on below.

The completion of the project’s first phase includes a new building for the Institute of Applied Sciences and two neighbouring blocks for the Institute for Business and the Students’ House.

As he made his way down to the college’s foyer, the Prime Minister stopped by the classrooms and chatted to the students. He later noted how pleased he was that in most classrooms the majority were female students.

In a speech before unveiling the commemorative plaque, Dr Gonzi said: “I am happy that both Maltese and Gozitan students, even those who do not possess O or A levels – but with just a school leaving certificate – can enrol at Mcast to improve their skills.”

He expressed his satisfaction that the Institute of Applied Sciences was working hand in hand with the manufacturing industry as well as the health sector.

Dr Gonzi pointed out that the rate of early school leavers had gone down to 23 per cent, while 83 per cent of the students opted to keep on studying.

“Our educational system is giving us what we need,” he said, especially since all the 11,000 who graduated from Mcast found a job, he added. “There are no students protesting in the streets – like in other European countries,” he noted.

Mcast has a total of 6,000 full-time students and 4,000 part-timers spread in centres all over Malta. The six-phase project will enable all the institutes to be housed on the main campus in Paola.