Post-secondary students are appealing to the authorities to allow them to return to physical schooling and not remain “victims of restrictions” as other non-essential industries are allowed to re-open.

A letter signed by the student councils of three post-secondary schools, St Aloysius, De La Salle and St Martin sixth forms, was sent to Prime Minister Robert Abela, Health Minister Chris Fearne, Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci and Education Minister Justyne Caruana, is asking for sixth form students to be allowed to return to lessons on school campus now that the COVID-19 situation has calmed down and things are returning to a semblance of normality.

“As post-secondary students, our education is very important to us and we believe that we should have a right to learn in a school environment and not from a laptop in our homes. We believe that it shouldn’t be us and our education that is sacrificed due to the irresponsible action of other industries,” the students wrote in their letter.

Since the school year resumed last September authorities recommended that post-secondary schools maintain online learning to reduce physical contact.

Primary and secondary school students began returning to classrooms on April 12 after the government imposed a soft lockdown in March following a spike in COVID-19 cases.

Non-essential retail and services resumed at the beginning of this week, with a limited reopening of restaurants and snack bars expected on May 10.

“Why have non-essential shops, as you describe them, been allowed to open, but post-secondary schools, which are integrally essential, remain with their doors closed? We fear this imbalance is having a negative effect on students,” the letter says.

They add that the situation is resulting in a negative physical and psychological impact as students are being denied social time with their peers since they are deemed mature enough to endure consecutive days of learning from behind a screen.

They add that students are willing to follow any measure required to return to school and maintained that discipline is of the utmost importance to safeguard health.

Additionally, they said that online lessons should remain an option for those who feel safer at home.

“Ultimately we wan to make sure that all students have an opportunity to ensure the most effective access to education that is possible.