MCAST students still waiting for results... two years later

David Darmanin
After MaltaToday exposed last Sunday that MCAST examiners had been caught falsifying assignment grades for second year laboratory technicians last year, it has now transpired that students who had been following the first year of the same course are still, after two years, waiting for their results.
Education officials have refused to comment on the matter, other than noting that: “MCAST has an ongoing inquiry and therefore it is not in a position to jeopardise its operation and findings. MCAST ensures however that the students will receive the grades they deserve.”
But strangely, in her comments to this newspaper last Sunday Education Minister Cristina indicated that the matter was resolved, and that an investigation had already been carried out.
When a ministry spokesperson was confronted with the issue last Saturday he pointed out that in the course of the investigation, the Board of Inquiry consulted all the students, the members of staff concerned and the institute’s management.
“The student’s concerns were taken into careful consideration. The students were not only given time to present their case before the Board, but were also asked to appear before the Board so as to be informed of what was being done in their interest,” he said.
The matter was partly resolved as the students’ final marks were based on mark sheets signed by the assessors themselves. These marks were communicated to the students who were given a clear explanation of the procedures adopted.
But when the ministry official was asked to indicate whether or not BTEC assignments, on which the results should be based, had been lost; and to provide a reason as to why students were initially awarded better grades, he opted sidestep the questions.
In turn, Cristina was asked to clarify why there was a blanket promotion of marks awarded to another MCAST course for Pharmacy Technicians in their annual examinations.
But by saying that the questions had been sent at short notice, Cristina said she could not answer and that we had to confront MCAST principal Maurice Grech over the matter.
But when Grech was sent these questions on Monday, as instructed by the Minister, his answer was also vague, skirting the issues at hand.
Once Grech’s replies reached this newspaper, an email was forwarded to Minister Cristina in an attempt to obtain the information requested but once again, she opted to ignore the issue.

ddarmanin@mediatoday.com.mt

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