Horace Laudi appointed chairman of MCAST board of governors

Horace Laudi has been appointed president of the MCAST board of governors, following the resignation of Prof. Ian Refalo.

Laudi is a banker of 39 years’ experience, having recently led the Students Maintenance Grants board as chairperson.

The education minister thanked Prof. Refalo for his contribution to the MCAST board, to whom it appointed back in 2020.

The Education Ministry recently removed MCAST principal James Calleja from his post, during a long stand-off in which the government post-secondary institution was gripped by industrial action.

A public call will be issued to find a replacement.

The decision to remove Calleja comes at a time when the college is locked in a dispute with the Malta Union of Teachers over stalled collective agreement talks. Industrial action ordered by the MUT has been going on for over a month and students have been left without their exam marks. The situation has led to growing tension between lecturers and students.

READ ALSO: Union directives leave MCAST students in the lurch over exam results

However, sources said the straw that broke the camel’s back was MCAST’s recent decision to allow police patrols on its campuses with the right to search students.

The decision was immediately publicly criticised by Education Minister Clifton Grima, who said it was unwarranted.