The Commissioner for Education engages with St Aloysius’ College Sixth Form Students on good administration and the Rule of Law

The Commissioner for Education engages with St Aloysius’ College Sixth Form Students on good administration and the Rule of Law

Published February 19, 2025

The Commissioner for Education, Chief Justice Emeritus Vincent De Gaetano, recently delivered a talk to over 100 sixth-formers at St Aloysius’ College. The session, attended by students studying Arts and Humanities and those with an interest in the subject, as well as by several members of the teaching staff, focused on the role of the Ombudsman, the right to good administration, and the importance of the Rule of Law in public administration.

The Commissioner thanked Fr. Jimmy Bartolo sj, Rector of St Aloysius’ College, and Ms Gabriella Abela, Head of Sixth Form, for the invitation and for organising the event.

The Commissioner explained how the Ombudsman assesses complaints, ensuring that decisions made by public authorities are lawful, fair, and transparent. Investigations focus on cases where actions may be unjust, discriminatory, based on incorrect facts, or lacking sufficient reasoning. He emphasised that good governance is not just about legality but  must factor in also ethical and moral responsibility, echoing St Augustine’s maxim that a law that is not just is not to be seen to be a law.

A key aspect of the presentation was the Rule of Law, with its four focus points of  accountability, just laws, open government, and accessible justice. The Commissioner stressed that these principles must be genuinely upheld by those in power, not merely acknowledged in theory.

Students actively participated, raising issues and putting questions about their rights and also engaging in a mock complaint exercise.

Through such initiatives, the Office of the Ombudsman aims to empower young people with a better understanding of democratic values and the mechanisms available to ensure justice and fairness in public life.