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Matthew Vella
Generous donations aimed at pushing Church secondary school entrants up the admissions list at Malta’s schools are not governed by any guidelines or policy, the Archbishop’s delegate to the Curia’s Catholic education secretariat Fr Dominic Scerri told MaltaToday.
The Church school system in Malta, funded primarily by the government for the payment of teachers’ wages, makes use of regular calls for donations from parents, for the upkeep of the schools and other operational expenses. In 2004 a total of Lm10,250,000 was voted by the government towards the financing of Church school wages. The donations system, on the other hand, remains fraught with allegations of preferential treatment.
Denying that the Curia education secretariat has ever received complaints on preferential admission of students whose parents handed over generous donations to the schools, Fr Dominic Scerri told this newspaper that it is the school’s “business” whether they accept any donations or not, before or after a child is admitted into the school
“It is not right – but it is their business whether they accept or not,” Fr Scerri said, who confirmed that no guidelines for the donations system existed.
Students entering Church schools at secondary school level are obliged to sit for a ‘common entrance’ exam, upon which successful candidates are admitted to schools according to issued quotas. Students ranking highest are the first to be admitted to the preferred school of choice. Those ranking lowest would probably have to make do with any remaining places left.
Informed of a system of generous donations designed to favour a hassle-free admission into a Church school – MaltaToday enquired over the policy for donations received by Church schools and whether the Curia frowns upon donations given for preferential treatment.
“Places of successful students at the common entrance examinations are not for sale and such a practice would be unlawful and unethical,” Fr Dominic Scerri said, claiming that it is students who qualify and rank well in the common entrance examination that are the ones who get the places in the schools of their choice. “If parents of such students freely wish to make donations and contributions to the schools after their children’s success in the examination, there is no problem for the school authorities to accept. It should be clear however, that the successful student’s access to a particular school cannot be subject to donations and contributions.”
Rectors and directors from other Church schools also denied accepting any donations for preferential admission. Brother Martin Borg, provincial of the De La Salle brothers which administer De La Salle College, Stella Maris College and St Benild’s School, said he sends anyone coming up with such offers ‘packing’: “I have already closed the door to anyone who comes up with such donations. We have even refused relatives and old boys’ children. It is a horrible thing to allege really, and it is usually someone who has not managed to acquire a place in a school that usually complains in that manner. There is always a big demand for particular schools, but we cannot take in everybody. When we have vacancies we submit candidates to a test, because we usually take in students at the age of five and they remain with the school.”
Vice-rector at St Aloysius College Mr Paul Borg also denied there was anything amiss: “Absolutely not. We ask for donations in the same manner as the other schools, but there is a common entrance exam which dictates who gets a place in a school. There is no favouritism.”
Fr Alan Scerri, rector at St Augustine College said the procedures of the common entrance examination were clear enough, and these were also known by parents. He denied that any donations have been accepted for students to be pushed up the list of preferences.
Whilst the education secretariat frowns upon such practices, it is however apparent that the Curia does not actually prohibit Church schools from accepting large donations. Asked whether any guidelines lay down such obligations, Fr Dominic Scerri said there should be no guidelines.
“It stands to reason. If someone comes to me to report such a matter I will first see whether there is any evidence. The responsibility is with the person who alleges a wrongdoing.”
Fr Scerri has denied that Church schools actually receive ‘kickbacks’: “The secretariat has never received any such complaints or allegations. If and when such reports are made, these will be investigated.”
Donations to Church schools remain grey areas since by their very nature they remain unregulated, and are made at the discretion of parents. But reports of preferential treatment abetted by generous donations are not new. Certain Church schools also grant exclusivity to retail outlets for the sale of uniforms and schoolbooks, a debatable practice under the EU competition regulations. Commenting on the latter, Fr Dominic Scerri said the practice is the sole responsibility of the school authorities “who have, in the past, held discussion on the subject with the office of fair trading.”
matthew@newsworksltd.com
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