In a news conference related to the measures of the 2024 Budget, Minister Clifton Grima and Parliamentary Secretary Keith Azzopardi Tanti explained the measures announced in the Budget for next year, which amount to €95 million more in an allocation from the Budget for this year.
“This is a government that is investing without precedent in areas that are among the most important for the economy of our country. This budget continues to build on what we accomplished in the last legislature and on the two budgets of this legislature, by continuing to give priority to the education and sports sectors. Measures in education that strengthen the National Strategy for Education 2024-2030, which is a strategy that will transform the education sector and measures in sport that will continue to strengthen this sector”, said the Minister for Education , Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation Clifton Grima.
In this budget the government is allocating an investment of €910 million for the ministry that covers education, sport, youth, research and innovation. Minister Clifton Grima explained that the investment in the educational infrastructure will continue, with the renovation and modernization of several schools around Malta and Gozo, including the St. George’s Primary School in Qormi.
The preliminary phases will also begin on new primary schools in Mosta and Mellieħa. He stressed that the biggest investment the country can make is in the best resource our country has, the human resource. Therefore this budget sees the strengthening of the programs of scholarships and tax credits for students.
Among other measures there is the special allowance of €500 per year for three years for those who continue their education after the compulsory age; an increase of €64 per year in stipends for students – a pro rata increase for the cost of living – while stipends will continue to increase in particular courses; the preliminary process will begin to re-establish the Trades Institute and the extension of the one-tablet-per-child, and the work will continue to distribute a new laptop to every student in the seventh year.
“This government recognizes that the drivers of learning that lead to the success of our children are the educators and therefore the government will do its best to conclude and sign the agreement in the coming months of educators. Every time we sit at the negotiating table we see that we increase the conditions of the workers, in a strong way but that is also sustainable. This is what Just Malta means”, concluded Minister Grima.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation Keith Azzopardi Tanti explained how much the government is investing more and more in young people, in research and innovation as a strong economic source for the coming years. “The investment we are making in this area testifies to the long-term vision that the government has. We are investing in the human resource to create new products and services, not only for the local market, but also for overseas, with the ultimate goal being to continue to improve the quality of people’s lives”, continued Keith Azzopardi Tanti.
The parliamentary secretary concluded by emphasizing how positive the budget was, even for Maltese and Gozitan youth, with various benefits that continue to incentivize them to improve their education and have an active life in our country.
