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Kurt Sansone
The increased educational opportunities that have come about by virtue of Malta’s EU accession, particularly in the UK where numerous Maltese students choose to further their studies, may be threatened by the sliding standard of spoken and written English.
The note of caution was sounded by a high official at the British Council during a business breakfast for journalists this week. Talking about the increased number of Maltese students applying for a Chevening Scholarship offered by the British Council in Malta, the official pointed out that in the medium term Maltese students may lose out on the opportunities because of sliding standards in written and spoken English.
Anybody applying for a Chevening Scholarship has to undergo an international English-language examination and obtain at least a pass mark of 6.5 (out of a maximum of 10).
The official expressed concern that in the medium term Maltese students may find it hard to achieve the pass mark required by most post-graduate courses in British universities.
Since Malta’s EU accession, Maltese students have been enjoying the same treatment in European universities as nationals of the respective countries. This means that the fees paid by Maltese students are the same as those paid by other students from other EU countries, a marked difference from the exorbitant university fees charged prior to 1 May.
kurt@newsworksltd.com
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