The Institute of Tourism Studies clarifies that the case referred to in the Nationalist
Party’s statement issued on the 10th of November 2025 does not reflect any
negligence or lack of commitment to inclusive education. On the contrary, over
recent months, especially throughout the past academic year, ITS has made every
effort to secure the most suitable specialised professionals to provide the required
support for the three students with disabilities.
Two official calls for Learning Associates (LAs) were made to identify those qualified
individuals who have the necessary competencies to operate in a vocational learning
environment that focuses on food preparation and service. However, the response to
this call was not positive and there were no successful candidates for the immediate
provision of this support. There is currently a third call open for LAs.
At the same time, ITS has carried out all the necessary educational and professional
reports including educational psychological assessments, Occupational Therapy
reports, and those related to health and safety in the workplace, in order to ensure
that the health and safety of these students remain an absolute priority.
It should also be noted that the curriculum offered at the ITS Gozo campus is based
on practical learning in the field of food preparation and service, which involves the
use of professional equipment in an environment that can be risky if they do not
comply with health and safety protocols or if there is no appropriate level of support.
In this context, ITS has been working on an alternative learning programme for these
students in order to provide them with the best possible post-secondary learning
experience, in a safe, structured and adapted environment to their needs.
ITS remains firmly committed to putting educational inclusion into practice and to
ensuring that every student, regardless of ability, has the chance to reach their full
potential in an environment of respect, safety, and professionalism. Currently,
around 10% of students at ITS in both Malta and Gozo are supported by Learning
Associates due to cognitive or physical conditions, while still following the same
curriculum offered by the Institute. In certain cases, however, where a disability
makes it impossible to adapt the standard minimum curriculum, a specialised
programme must be developed to uphold the Institute’s high standards of quality
and certification assurance.
Source:ITS
