Petition against MEPA decision presented to prime minister

Teachers, pupils and parents marched in protest to the Office of the Prime Minister earlier this afternoon, after the planning authority turned down an application for the extension of St Augustine's School in Pietà.

School rector Fr Alan Scerri presented a petition from families of the students and teachers to the Prime Minister after leading a demo march from the War Memorial in Floriana, to Castille.

A total of 600 signatures were collected.

The school is insisting they need the extension for the stable transition of primary school pupils at the Virtù Seminary to the St Augustine secondary school, which needs more space. The school is saying teachers' jobs are at stake.

MEPA turned down the extension because it was not in line with urban conservation area policies for Pietà.

Fr Alan Scerri insisted that the MEPA board had been unduly influenced by the representations of critics of the project.

Reacting to the fact that two members of parliament who sit on the board where not present during the vote, Scerri said the issue was "worrying".

"In view of a national reform on education which holds not political colour but is for the benefit of our students, it is worrying that those in parliament and shoulder therefore shoulder certain responsibilities, have not done their duty. It is worrying and it hurts us," Scerri said.

He added that even though he didn't believe the reform was "just on paper", the attitude taken towards the extension of the school "shows otherwise".

The rector confirmed that this week the school had already met with the Office of the Prime Minister, and next week they'll be meeting Education Minister Dolores Cristina.

Scerri argued that while the Church schools have agreed with the reform, giving every student the possibility of attending one irrespective of their academic performance, the refusal of the permit was not aiding St Augustine College the possibility to of adjusting itself to the new reality.

"If we want to give our students the best education, we cannot let them transfer from one school to another at different stages of their education. We are trying to build a primary school which gives the students a clear transition from one level to another. We know the challenges of having mixed ability students in the same classroom at secondary level, and helping them during their early years is beneficial for them," he said.

St Augustine College is making use of temporary classes at the Seminary, but within two years it will reach its full compliment. Between teachers, LSAs and other personnel, some 20 workers were employed.

Parents Leonard and Stephanie Spiteri, whose five-year-old son attends the Seminary, expressed their concerns over the permit refusal. "We do not know where our son will continue his education if the school is not built. Our main concern is our son's education which comes before everything," the Spiteris said.