Earlier this morning Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU) issued the following Press Release clarifying issues related to the English Communicative Aptitude Programme:
KSU would like to clarify a situation which came to light recently regarding the English Communicative Aptitude programme. Last semester, KSU was invited to an informal meeting during which this programme was discussed, and the idea of its introduction was brought to our attention. The terms that were mentioned during this meeting were that anyone holding an O’Level certificate at Grade 3 or better, an Intermediate Level at Grade C or better, or an A’Level at Grade C or better in English would be exempted from this study unit.
A letter was sent by the University Administration a few days later stating that KSU fully supported this initiative, despite the fact that the terms of this letter differed from those which were originally mentioned to the Students’ Council during our initial meeting. This letter came as a surprise to KSU as things were still very vague and the Students’ Council was rather surprised at how rushed the whole process had been. This was the point when KSU immediately started lobbying with the University Administration to ensure that such an introduction, which had been approved by senate, would not have a negative burden on students.
Following a meeting between KSU and the University of Malta administration yesterday afternoon, a number of clarifications were made. First and foremost, it was clarified that students who possess either one of the qualifications, will be exempted from taking this study units. Unlike the previous situation, where students were being told that only their highest qualification will be taken into consideration, it was clarified with the Administration that if a student is in possession of either a grade 3 or better at Ordinary Level, or a Grade C or better at Intermediate or Advanced Levels, they will be exempted from taking the study unit.
The Students’ Council also received confirmation from the University Administration that this study unit will in no way affect the average grade of the students’ final classification. This is due to the fact that this will be an extra study-unit aimed solely at helping students have a smoother transition from one year to another at University. KSU was also assured multiple times that being an extra study-unit, this will not be a failing subject, but will mainly ensure that the English proficiency is adequate and up to standard for students to write assignments, hold presentations in class and even further than that, be more prepared for the working life that will follow University years. It is worth noting that all this played a crucial role in the decision of the Students’ Council to act quickly and to try to lobby for the best deal possible for students once the University of Malta had decided and approved matters through Senate, which is the highest decision-making body at the University of Malta.
It is also essential to note that unlike any allegations made, KSU remained very open and active with regards to this issue, and in fact not only communicated with students who complained about the matter, but also held meetings with them in certain cases and made sure that every complaint brought forward was passed on to the University Administration.
KSU would finally like to reiterate that such a position is being taken after long discussions which took into consideration all the complaints received and after lobbying with the Administration to obtain the best results for the student population at large. Naturally, things would have worked out much smoother if the University of Malta planned long term rather than introducing such a course halfway through the year, however, we believe that these clarifications at least shed some light on this issue. We continue to urge all those who have any comments or questions about the matter to get in touch with us, and as always we will continue to voice all concerns with the relevant authorities both at the University of Malta and beyond.