This is the GUG‘s rundown of the STUDENT-RELATED initiatives from the 2019 Budget, Maltese and Gozitan alike.
Stipend Increase + Free Public Transport
An increase in students’ stipends is going to benefit all students. This will help cover the expenses that students have in pursuing their education. From next year, 14 and 15 year olds along with full-time students above 20 years old, will enjoy a free public transport. So, students who commute by bus will save more money in this regard. That said, however, ideally the means of public transport would be improved as well to be made more accessible and reliable.
Free Exams
Another major announcement was that MATSEC and SEC exams are to be free, as of next year. This is a major step ahead towards the improvement of the education sector in the Maltese islands. The MATSEC and SEC exams will no longer be a financial toll for some students and their families who find it difficult to pay for these exams.
Increase in Gozitan Students’ Grant
As a Gozitan student organization, GUG believes that an increase in the subsidy given to Gozitan students residing in Malta help to cover some of the expenses incurred, particularly that of accommodation. This is possible under certain conditions. The GUG organization wished to also see more about the Gozo University Campus budget, since it has been a while that a refurbishment was mentioned. If this campus is to be used, the environment needs to be an adequate and suitable one.
The GUG organization thinks that the 2019 Budget has improved the education sector along with the student’s quality of living. Investing in the student’s well-being will also benefit the state in the near future.
Press Release by GUG