Ombudsman and Commissioner for Education meet MCAST Principal to strengthen cooperation

Ombudsman and Commissioner for Education meet MCAST Principal to strengthen cooperation

Published March 27, 2026

The Parliamentary Ombudsman, Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon, and the Commissioner for Education, Chief Justice Emeritus Vincent De Gaetano, met with the Principal of MCAST, Mr Stephen Vella, at the MCAST campus.

The meeting, requested by MCAST, aimed to continue and strengthen the constructive engagement between the Office of the Ombudsman and MCAST at senior management level.

In welcoming the Ombudsman and the Commissioner, Mr Vella noted that the meeting provided an opportunity for MCAST to present its assessment of the work carried out with the Ombudsman’s Office to date. This included progress made in addressing issues raised and implementing recommendations over the past year.

Mr Vella also outlined the growth of the institution, which today serves more than 10,000 students and employs around 1,500 academic and administrative staff. He referred to ongoing developments at the Corradino Campus and presented MCAST’s plans for future expansion and its academic vision.

The Parliamentary Ombudsman observed that, over the past two years, MCAST has shown a collaborative approach in the handling of complaints. He noted that, in many instances, issues were resolved during the investigation process and that recommendations made by the Office were, in most cases, implemented.

The Commissioner concurred with the views expressed by the Ombudsman.  He noted that when there is cooperation between public institutions and the Office of the Ombudsman during an investigation, and when information is provided within a reasonable time, this benefits both the complainant and good administration.

The meeting also served as a structured follow up to previous discussions, with a focus on identifying practical ways to further improve cooperation, ensure effective implementation of recommendations, and promote good administration within the institution.

The discussion was forward looking in nature and reflected a shared commitment to maintaining dialogue, reinforcing accountability and consolidating the progress achieved.

The meeting was also attended by Dr Caroline Demarco, Director in the Office of the Principal and MCAST Liaison Officer with the Office of the Ombudsman, Dr Thea Lyn Cesare, Head of Legal at MCAST, and Mr Jurgen Cassar, Head of Communications and Research at the Office of the Ombudsman.