Of saints and sacred cows

Why should all state schools be named for Catholic saints? And why shouldn’t graduates pay back some of the money invested in their university education as soon as they start earning money?

James Debono 26 November 2010, 12:00am

3 min read

Vassalli

We were definitely more secular in the 1970s when one particular school in Handaq was named for Mikiel Anton Vassalli.

A few years ago the government took a decision to name all nine colleges in Malta for Roman Catholic saints, including our own Saint George Preca.

Surprisingly the only college not to be named for a saint is the one in Gozo – which is simply referred to as the Gozo college. On this count we were definitely more secular in the 1970s when one particular school in Handaq was named for Mikiel Anton Vassalli – a lone Maltese intellectual who sided with the French against the Maltese insurgents.

By naming all our colleges for remote saints like St Nicholas (a fourth century Turkish bishop who by some historical mishap became associated with a fair-haired bloke from the North Pole) the authorities are sending the message that the only figures our children can aspire to are saints.

It’s time to assert our secularism and call on the government to name at least some of our 10 colleges for local and global figures who shaped our intellect. My favourites would be philosophers Voltaire and Spinoza, renowned for their defense of religious freedom; and Giordano Bruno, a Dominican friar burnt on the stake for believing that the universe harbours a plurality of worlds similar to our own.

And I wouldn’t mind having a school named for Oscar Romero, a Catholic bishop murdered for his staunch defence of human rights. Ironically, one of our colleges is named for Saint Thomas More – a literary genius and humanist – who heroically died refusing to recant his Catholic views after having himself sent hundreds of Protestant heretics to the stake.

Sacred cows

University graduates, especially those who become ‘rich’ through lucrative employment, should pay back at least a part of the money invested in their education by society. In my opinion the best way to do this is through a graduate tax. This will ensure that our universities remain free for all, including those whose families would never afford tuition fees and who are encouraged to continue their education by the stipend system.

Means-testing students to determine who deserves a stipend or not sounds good on paper but could be a messy process in which students with parents who do not declare their full income could end up being rewarded. It would also assess students on the basis of their parents’ fortunes – a messy process at an age when students are asserting their independence.

Rather than wasting time trying to reform this idiosyncratic but popular aspect of our social model (which is slowly but steadily being eroded by inflation), the government should seek to get back part of the sum invested in university students through a graduate tax. This should be proportionate to income and paid over a period of time in a way that its impact on living standards is contained. All funds gained through this tax should go back to fund the university or to the education system in general.

James Debono is MaltaToday's chief reporter on environment, planning and land use issues, ...

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@ Silvio Falzon - A strategist? And he was a common thief, born in a cheap family on an island, as soon as he was in St Johns, he started by helping himself to a ring he saw! @ Michael001 **** michael001 if we begin to try using sentences like this!!! Than we can say you are born in a sadistic family son of a pedophile maybe!!!!!

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Naming all schools after saints and erasing from memory Maltese patriots like Vassalli, Temi Zammit, Ruzar Briffa, is the doing of a "progressive" "modern" "secular" PN government?. I am a Catholic and attend mass in a small church, but still, my heart cries out for such an arrogant attitude.

Norman Buckle •

James is right about the naming of public schools, but he is wrong about university graduates repaying part of the cost the government incurred in their education ... unless, of course, James and others like him, who graduated in years past, are willing to repay an equal portion. So, what if Governnemt started, immediately, billing past graduates according to some fair formula, automatically deducted, on a monthly basis, from paycheques. Thus, for example: Let's say James's education cost the Maltese taxpayers €x, and according to the (new, fair) fromula, €2000 is what must be repaid, plus the accrued interest, of, say, 5% per annum. Therefore, if James graduated 20 years ago, he now owes the taxpayers a total of €5306.60. For some, like say, Michael001 who was born into a rich family, €5306.60 would be chump change to be paid without so much as batting an eyelid; but for a journalist, that might be a hardship, and therefore, an adequate period for repayment will be allowed, say, 10 years at 5% p.a., paid on a monthly basis. Now, all James will have to worry about is, doing with €56.29 less per month. Now, if there are 10,000 others like James, that would mean that the taxpayers will be reimbursed about €7,000,000 per year ... enough to keep a few more Ambassadors hopping around the world, staying at posh hotels and dining at upscale restaurants ... and the taxpayers picking the tab! Makes sense, no?

Albert Zammit •

@ Silvio Falzon - A strategist? And he was a common thief, born in a cheap family on an island, as soon as he was in St John's, he started by helping himself to a ring he saw!

Luke Camilleri •

San Injazju f’Tal-Ħandaq was named agfter a Saint out of spite to erase the memory of the well loved HeadMaster Mr. Testa, just because he was a Head Master during the PL administration. Holier than Holies Dr. Eddie Fenech Adami could just not stand it that a college be named after John M Testa, a well loved Headmaster. http://www.l-orizzont.com/news.asp?newsitemid=42508 San Injazju f’Tal-Ħandaq għamel ħafna melħ fil-ferita. Dan il-kulleġġ inbena fuq l-art tal-Liċeo Vassalli. Il-Liċeo Vassalli, taħt it-tmexxija tas-Sur John M. Testa (u s-Sur Ronnie Attard bħala idu l-leminija) kien ċentru ta’ eċċellenza. Hemm kont tista’ tidħol student u toħroġ raġel, għaref żgħir għatxan biex jitgħallem u jirnexxi. Id-dixxiplina kienet tibda minn fuq il-bankina fejn l-istudenti jkunu qegħdin jistennew it-trasport għall-iskola. Uniformi impekkabbli u r-‘route prefect’ kien mistenni jorganizza trasport alternattiv jekk dak tas-soltu ma jitfaċċax fil-ħin. Jekk x’ħin tasal l-iskola, tixref mill-karozza b’xi ħaġa mill-uniformi nieqsa, is-Sur Attard, hemm jifli kull student, kien jieħu ħsieb li tmur lura d-dar. L-ewwel ħaġa li għamel Gvern Nazzjonalista wara li ħa l-ġurament fl-1987 kien li neħħa lis-Sur Testa!

Alfred Galea •

Harloc, it's not something that will happen the next day....the govt. will state that as of the 2012 "scholastic" year there will be no stipends and any student has to pay tuiton. Those who feel that they can't afford it and whose parents cannot support them will be abvle to apply for grants. There will also be available to students, no/low interest free loans. As for the "means" test, in a country of 400k it's very easy to confirm who can afford what, one example being tax slips. By the way, I'm what you'd call an independent, not a floater, a real independent, a fiscal conservative.

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On Malta, the French had rapidly dismantled the institutions of the Knights of St. John, including the Roman Catholic Church. Church property was looted and seized to pay for the expedition to Egypt, an act that generated considerable anger among the deeply religious Maltese population. On 2 September, this anger erupted in a popular uprising during an auction of church property, and within days thousands of Maltese irregulars had driven the French garrison into Valletta- cause they was stealing all the churches - Ultimately it remained under British government for 164 years, gaining independence in 1964.

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about napoleon Bonaparte: Even though Napoleon Bonaparte’s stay in Malta was short-lived, he single-handedly tried to draw the country away from its medieval moorings and pave the way forward to cement its place into the modern era. He issued a series of decrees, aiming to bring about a thorough reorganisation of the government and society in Malta, and tirelessly sought to review the country’s laws and regulations. He tried to rid the stagnation of Malta under the influence of the Knights of St John, whom he felt had outstayed their welcome, and strived hard to make the country on a par with other influential countries at the time. The abolition of noble titles and privileges and the removal of slavery were the first things Napoleon implemented. He later ordered the expulsion of the Inquisitor and voiced his surprise that fundamental subjects such as astronomy, physics and maths were, by the time of his arrival, still not being taught at the University of Malta. He was against adhering to any forms of tradition, superstition and other dogmas, which characterised society at the time, and was a different type of leader in the sense that he was not a warrior or a rebel, but more of an intellectual strategist and philosopher when commanding the fleet.

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James- let's get to the point- we all know the PN history about how they work with the church- and the theatrical when an opening of a school or so, a priest will go thier if not an archbishop to throw water. there is always a priest in everything - James the church commands everything - but don't seems to , but in reality they are- they do everything with other persons whom are in high positions- James , If Both parties in parlamnet don't change the constitution, by making Malta a real secular state - all we hear is words words words, and in reality nothing will be as it is suppose to be- thye will continue to use clever words with media to brainwash people- But I believe that one day the majority of the people will open their eyes I belive that the new generation is not as the old generation( with all respect) that used to believe (it tfal jigu bil-vapuri etc..) old myths and LIES! and than Malta wil have like a revolution (not a fighting one) But a change in everything. DON'T WASTE TIME OF THE MALTESE PEOPLE START BY DOING MALTA A REAL SECULAR STATE -

Nazzareno Pace •

Joe South.....yes I am responsible for my children's education, but will that wa also the responsability of the parents of those who were or still are at university. It is easy to shift the financial burden from the institution onto the families, but I wonder whether it will be that easy for families with financial problems. And do not mention the means test as people are also aware of families with houses with swimming pools who manage to fool the tax department and manage to pass the means test. So please I just ask all of the people to analyse the situation and I am sure that they will realise that all these goverment cost cutting is due to the bad financial situation the government is in......and this may be another case of discussion without being political. Hail the Finanzi Fis-Sod......and then they take all the common people's comodities.

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@falke: Vassalli traitor to his own people? Get your history right. There was a civil war in Malta during the French period. Vassalli sided with the enlightment and Napololean abolished slavery, introduced education for the masses, introduced decimilization, divided Malta into administrative parts, gave land to the Maltese, empowerd local clergy, who previously were dependent and lap dogs to Sicilan priests. Vassalli was a progressive and a patriot and is considered the father of Maltese language and one of its first Maltese. However, what you said is true; progressives and patriots are considered traitors in Malta, whilst suckers and shams masquerading as leaders, are heroes. Ghalhekk wasalna fej Alla jridna!

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I wonder if there is any school named after a prominent homosexual? Perhaps St Albert the Great should be renamed the Harvey Milk College and Rabat's Tal-Virtu to "Glad to be Gay". Rabat's St Paul Missionary College should perhaps become St Paul's non-Missionary Position College. I hear the priests of that 'Order' have a way with boys.Dun Gorg Preca Primary School in Hamrun would sound very nice as the Homosexual Voice Primnary School.

Alfred Galea •

Harloc, you and your child are responsible for his/her education....nobody else. What's next? Taxpayers paying everbody's mortgage??

John Mifsud •

The 'Liceo Vassalli' was in the 1980s, not the 1970s. And even in those dark days, Vassalli was honoured for scholarship and dedication to the Maltese language, not his very dubious political and relgious views, which led him to become a traitor to his own people.

Nazzareno Pace •

This is really nasty of some people. I have been working and paying all taxes and national contributions for the past 25 years and paying all these monies to those who abuse of taxes, get most of the Social Services allowances, make use of the hospital on a regular basis and are thought from kinder to university for free. Sometimes such people are even being payed a stipend from this money. Now all these people, especially those coming out of univeristy, who fill in our newspapers with articles, provide consultancy services to government and pretend the most lucrative jobs on the market expect me to pay even for my children to attend university. Shame on you who are abusing of the knowledge you got with the help and assistance of people like me and shame on you when you continue abusing of what we have provided and sacrificed for in the name of social justice. Hope that other acts as this are considered well by all the decision makers before they are put into practice in order to avoid more social injustice.

Alfred Galea •

There shouldn't be any stipends, there should be available to students, interest free or very low interest loans to be paid starting on the second anniversary of graduation or in case of a dropout the year after dropping out. There should be grants or bursaries for those for those who can show, with solid proof, that their parents cannot support them. University shouldn't be free, students should pay tuition and not dump the cost of their education on the taxpayers. As for catholic schools named after catholic saints.....that's just to show the world that there are no better catholics than maltese catholics and we're the only ones going to heaven.