A statutory Board of Appeal created in terms of the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications Act has not been functioning since January, the Office of the Ombudsman complained on Monday. 

The situation came to light after a foreign man who works in Malta sought to appeal an assessment of the Malta Qualifications Recognition Information Centre (MQRIC).

On May 7 the Commissioner for Education, who falls within the Office of the Ombudsman, recommended that the MQRIC Appeals Board should be “constituted in such a way that it can commence to function forthwith”.

The Office of the Ombudsman said it was informed at the time that “the process of appointing new board members was already under way to ensure an effective appeals remedy.

Yet only the secretary of the Appeals Board has been appointed to date, with the designated chairperson still “awaiting approval from the respective authority.”

The Office of the Ombudsman said it was calling on the 'authority' whose approval was still awaited to act without further delay.