MCAST to follow in UM, JC and ITS footsteps as it prepares to reopen in September
The Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) is set to open its doors for students in the coming scholastic year, a spokesperson for the institution told The Malta Independent.
This news comes after both the University of Malta (UM) and G.F. Junior College (JC) as well as the Institute for Tourism Studies (ITS) informed this newsroom that they will also be reopening unless indicated otherwise by health authorities.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all educational establishments were asked to close down back in March to curb the spread of the virus and resort to online teaching and learning methods.
Since then the Prime Minister Robert Abela and the Education Ministry have announced that schools will reopen again in September with Education Minister Owen Bonnici confirming that they are set to open on 28 September.
Yet, over the past month there has been an unprecedented spike in new cases which has caused students, parents and teachers alike to question this decision as they lie in wait for the safety protocols that are still under development.
Both the PM and Bonnici are still insisting on schools reopening come September, with the PM saying that there would be an educational crisis if students are not able to physically attend classes, during last Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting.
Also on Tuesday, while speaking to this newsroom, Bonnici said that in the case of schools catering for those who are 16years-old and younger, educational institutions will reopen and physically welcome students with all the necessary precautions in place.
He added that when it comes to institutions handling students older than 16-years-old then it is up to them to regulate themselves. For instance, he said, “on purely academic and non-COVID related considerations, if there are certain University faculties which want to carry out lectures online because they feel that it is better that way then they have every liberty to do that.”
With this in mind, The Malta
Independent reached out to a number of post-secondary institutions to see what their plan was, including MCAST.
“The plan is to reopen in September with all health and safety measures and protocols in place. We will keep following the health authority’s guidance at all times,” a spokesperson for the college said, adding that it has been planning and preparing to ensure that all safety measures are in place for when the time comes.
“We have guidelines in place for safe operation. These include instructions on temperature checks, face-covering and social distancing as well as specific measures on the use of facilities, classes, labs and offices.”
The spokesperson added that while MCAST has autonomy as it caters for students who are in post-compulsory education, it is in contact with the Education Ministry to ensure coherence in the application of measures to safeguard its staff, students and visitors. “Since March, MCAST has been planning and adapting to the needs specific to a Vocational Education institution.”
Asked for the institute’s opinion on the reopening of schools in general, seeing that Malta is experiencing unprecedented higher rates of COVID-19 cases, the spokesperson said that it is crucial for the college to provide the best educational services to its students.
“Despite the challenges, we believe that we have to be pro-active to ensure that our students continue with their learning journey. At MCAST, we have invested in online platforms to reach as many students as possible and to ensure that teaching and learning are not disrupted. In VET, practical and hands-on learning are central and challenging to replicate online. This is where we need to ensure continuity in provision while keeping students and staff safe.”