Academics' concerns that the Maltese Language Council would be weakened by proposed legislative changes were unfounded, the Education Ministry said this morning. 

Proposed changes to the Language Act would strengthen the council rather than dilute its level of expertise, a ministerial statement read. 

The ministry was reacting to warnings made yesterday by Maltese academic organisations, in which they argued that the proposed changes could lead to a council with a majority of members not qualified in Maltese. 

READ: Academics concerned by proposed changes to language council

But the ministry this morning shrugged off that suggestion, noting that entities that would now also be included on the council under the proposed amendments all had "competent and qualified" staff members who could contribute to the council's work.

Similar concerns about the nomination of technical committee heads were also unfounded, the ministry said, as the Akkademja tal-Malti and University's Department of Maltese would still be allowed to propose committee heads. Thanks to the amendments, the ministry said, other council members would also be granted this right, with the final decision being the council's.

The council would also continue to have the final say when it came to technical and scientific issues, the ministry said.

"It is worth noting that the proposed amendments were drafted following an extensive consultation period," the ministry statement concluded, adding that the committee that had drafted them was composed of "established academics, including the president of the National Council for the Maltese Language."