MZPN has appealed to the Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Education Minister Evarist Bartolo to revoke, what it calls, “the indirect tax introduced on youths and their parents completing their compulsory and post-secondary education, in their bid to achieve qualifications that give them access to further or higher education.”

MZPN said that it has calculated that as a result in increases of €454,000 in Government income through such fees, which have to be paid out by youths and their families. “The imposition of these fees comes at a decisive age where students should be encouraged rather than presented with more hurdles to drop out from continuing their education.”

MZPN added that these calculations are based on a multiplication of the new fees upon the applications estimated upon the May 2014 sessions. This does not include September resits and request for revision of paper amongst other charges, which would thus further raise the estimated amount, it said.

“The increase in examination fees may not seem exuberant on one single examination however these need to be multiplied upon the number of examinations per sitting by each student. There are cases with families with more than one child sitting for examinations in one year.”

MZPN explained that “based on an average SEC student sitting for 10 O-level examinations the expense stood at Eur151.45 whereas the new fee structure would be at Eur225.00 – a sharp 33% higher cost. In the case of an Intermediate level examination (with practical) a Eur18.63 expense has turned into Eur45.00 expense – resulting in a sharp 59% increase.

“Based on the May 2014 session, students would be paying out Eur311,000 more in registration and examination fees for O levels and in the case of Intermediate and Advanced level a Eur143,000 increase.”

According to MZPN, this could possibly result in students, especially from lower financial backgrounds, opting to sit for less subjects especially if they are not fully confident in the given subject.

“This will result in less qualification attainment by upcoming cohorts. This effect may also be implied in the case of attempting resits in failed subjects or requesting revisions of paper where a student is not convinced of the result achieved or is requesting additional feedback.”

MZPN said that it is shocked that such news comes unannounced, “despite having a communications office in each ministerial secretariat, a state department of information and an office for the Chief for Government Communications, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is giving an additional Eur30,000 to MP Carmelo Abela to act as Government Spokesman.”

“It seems that such increases in fees do not merit due announcement and explanation by at least one of all these possible Government communication channels. Over one full legislature Carmelo Abela’s additional allowance of Eur30,000 would cost government Eur150,000. Carmelo Abela’s allowance is only the latest of a series of scandalous waste of public funds to appease those close to the Prime Minister,” MZPN said.

“Government has claimed that such increases in examination fees are necessary to make MATSEC sustainable.”

MZPN concluded by saying that it urges the Government to “address public funding concerns by removing all such irresponsible public payments to Government MPs, relatives and friends – and fund MATSEC through these public funds rather than turning on youths and their families. In next Monday’s budget, Government should put its money where its mouth is.”

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