Bill restores recognition to doctors who graduated between 1979-86

A bill on the mutual recognition of qualifications would lead to the granting of foreign recognition to doctors who graduated between 1979 and 1986, at the height of the doctors' dispute, and who had been refused recognition abroad, Nationalist MP Michael Asciak has told parliament.

Dr Asciak said the situation faced by these doctors had been such that many of them had had to re-sit their exams abroad to be given such recognition by the British Medical Council.

He said the bill would make it easier for Maltese to study abroad.

The Nationalist MP spoke on how study opportunities in Malta itself had blossomed under the PN administration, but said Malta was still far behind the EU average with regard to the percentage of Maltese following post-secondary courses.

The education sector would benefit greatly from EU membership, particularly thanks to the educational programmes which the Union offered.

Reacting to opposition remarks, Dr Asciak said that EU membership would not lead to a flood of foreign workers here since it had been agreed that a mechanism would be set up for the government to limit their numbers.

Nationalist MP Michael Bonnici said a growing number of Maltese were studying abroad in EU countries, but unless Malta joined the EU the Maltese would have to pay to do so.

The bill would not only benefit Maltese studying abroad but also the spouses of Maltese who settled in Malta and sometimes had problems working here because their qualifications were not recognised.

The Nationalist MP noted that paramedics had not been included in the schedule of professions whose qualifications would be mutually recognised in agreements with other states. There were several professions which were supplementary to medicine, such as physiotherapists whose qualifications also deserved to be recognised abroad.

Notary Charles Mangion (MLP) said that as a sovereign state, Malta had the right to draw up agreements with any country it wanted. This bill, therefore, was not adding anything to what the country already enjoyed and this was only a requirement of the EU acquis (the EU body of laws) which Malta had to adopt before accession.

The opposition, however, was not objecting because it agreed with recognition of qualifications.

The Labour MP said Malta could only be competitive if it had skilled human resources, but much remained to be done in this sector. Foreign companies wishing to set up shop here were not finding the personnel they needed. That ranged from companies involved in technology to others needing multi-lingual persons.

Clearly, in the education sector, there was need for better planning for Malta's requirements.

Notary Mangion said the argument that the Maltese would be able to work abroad if the country joined the EU did not make sense. Such opportunities already existed for qualified personnel.

What was more likely to happen was that Malta's labour sector would be thrown open to foreigners, doing away with the current limitation that foreigners would only work in Malta if their work could not be done by Maltese.

Mr Leo Brincat (MLP) called for a benchmark qualification framework to assess local educational standards.

He said that the people should not be misled by this debate. The EU did not have a system of automatic equivalence of diplomas except for particular professions, and much still depended on bilateral agreements.

He said the agreement with the EU which the government claimed would restrict the number of foreigners working here was vague at best, and not permanent.

In the accountancy profession, among others, Mr Brincat said, what counted was not the degree but the warrant. How would this be aligned with the requirements of this bill?

Parliamentary Secretary Jesmond Mugliett said this bill would facilitate students' mobility between universities in Malta and abroad.

He said much work had been done locally over the past few years to raise educational standards, establish such standards where they did not exist, particularly in the vocational sector and establish uniformity among the various courses.

That came about especially following the creation of the Institute of Health Care, the Institute of Tourism Studies and MCAST. The government remained committed to establishing National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs).

The current philosophy was for everyone to have some form of certification if possible. Education, even at secondary level, had to evolve and technology education had been introduced in secondary schools.

This bill was one of the measures being taken for the non-traditional professions to also be better regulated and certified, such as in restoration.

In future more sectors would be regulated and licences would be required for operators.

The bill underlined the government's confidence in the ability of the Maltese to successfully compete with foreigners. He was sure, however, there would not be a flood of foreigners coming to work here.

Labour MP Marie Louise Coleiro complained that too many people were still illiterate or unskilled.

A study by the Faculty of Education found that 20 per cent of children under seven in the inner harbour area could not read.

Two thirds of students in area secondary schools did not sit for SEC exams and only 12 per cent of youths aged 15 to 18 followed a post secondary course.

A proper assessment was needed. Was the proper environment being created to encourage young people to take up post secondary courses?

When one considered the skills gap, the free movement of workers in context of EU membership became more worrying, not least because EU unemployment was high.

Under one pretext or another, Malta's labour sector would be opened to foreigners. There was no doubt that many foreigners were interested in working here. Indeed, two per cent of the labour supply already consisted of foreigners.

Mr Noel Farrugia (MLP) also warned that EU membership would lead to a high number of EU nationals working here.

It would be far better if this bill were implemented within the context of the MLP's policy of a partnership with the EU rather than accession.

A large number of young people were finishing school without the necessary skills in several areas, including agriculture. This would open the way for more foreigners to work here.