under the auspices of the Faculty of Education

L.N. 209 of 2020

EDUCATION ACT

(CAP. 327)

Bye-Laws of 2020 to amend the Bye-Laws of 2016 in terms of the

General Regulations for University Undergraduate Awards, 2019 for the

Degree of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Early Childhood Education and Care

- B.A. (Hons) ECEC -

under the auspices of the Faculty of Education

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred upon him by articles 74 (5) and 75 (6) of the

Education Act (Cap. 327), the Chancellor of the University of Malta has promulgated

the following bye-laws made by the Board of the Faculty of Education in virtue of

the powers conferred upon it by article 81 (1) (c) of the said Act and which have been

approved by the Senate of the University of Malta as required by article 81 (2) of the

said Act

Citation

These bye-laws may be cited as the Bye-Laws of 2020 to amend the

Bye-Laws of 2016 in terms of the General Regulations for University Undergraduate

Awards, 2019 for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Early Childhood

Education and Care - B.A. (Hons) ECEC - and shall be read and construed as one

with the Bye-Laws of 2016 in terms of the General Regulations for University

Undergraduate Awards, 2019 for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Early

Childhood Education and Care - B.A. (Hons) ECEC - under the auspices of the

Faculty of Education, published as Legal Notice 151 of 2016, hereinafter referred to

as “the principal bye-laws”.

Applicability

These bye-laws shall be applicable for courses commencing in October

2020 or later, except for bye-law 4 of these bye-laws which shall be applicable as

from October 2022.

Amendment to bye-law 3 of the principal bye-laws

For sub-paragraph (i) of paragraph (2) of bye-law 3 of the principal bye-

laws there shall be substituted the following

“(i) the Advanced Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development

(MCAST) or any other comparable and equivalent recognised qualification; and”

For sub-paragraph (iii) of paragraph (2) of bye-law 3 of the principal

bye-laws there shall be substituted the following

“(iii) a pass at Secondary Education Certificate level at Grade 5 or better in

English Language, Maltese and Mathematics.”

For sub-paragraph (i) of paragraph (3) of bye-law 3 of the principal bye-

laws there shall be substituted the following

“(i) Higher Diploma in Advanced Studies in Early Years (MCAST); or any

other comparable and equivalent recognised qualification; and”

Amendment to bye-law 5 of the principal bye-laws

For bye-law 5 of the principal bye-laws there shall be substituted the

following

“5. (1) The Board shall recommend to Senate the number of students

that may be allowed to register for the Course, depending on the availability of

human resources and the number of suitable classes available for the field placement

component. The Board shall announce the number of available places at the time of

the call for applications, provided that 10% of such available places shall be reserved

for eligible applicants considered in terms of paragraph (4) of bye-law 3. If some

or all of the reserved places are not filled, these places shall be made available to

applicants who satisfy the general and special course requirements.

(2) When the number of applicants that may be admitted to the

Course is limited in terms of paragraph (1) of this bye-law, and the number of eligible

applicants exceeds the number of places available, applicants shall be selected on the

basis of their academic qualifications which shall be weighted in accordance with

selection criteria which will be published at the time of the call for application,

provided that applicants considered in terms of paragraph (4) of bye-law 3 shall be

selected according to the following criteria

(a) knowledge and experience in early childhood settings; and

(b) academic qualifications.

(3) If, after the ranking order is established as indicated above, there

is a tie for one or more places, those applicants who ranked in the same position shall

be interviewed.

(4) The interviewing board, appointed by the Board for the purpose,

shall be composed of at least 3 members from the Department of Early Childhood

and Primary Education.”

Amendment to bye-law 6 of the principal bye-laws

For bye-law 6 of the principal bye-laws there shall be substituted the

following

“6. The University Admissions Board, after seeking the advice of the Faculty

Admissions Committee, shall first consider eligible applicants whose qualifications

were obtained in the Matriculation Certificate Examination or from another examining

board, if the Faculty Admissions Committee is satisfied that the qualifications

presented are comparable in content and equivalent in standard to the Matriculation

Certificate Examination in the same subject/s. For the purpose of selection, applicants

whose qualifications and the special course requirements as stipulated in bye-law

3, were obtained by 31 August preceding the commencement of the Course shall

be considered first. If vacant places are still available, applicants who obtain all

necessary qualifications and fulfil all special course requirements as stipulated in bye-

law 3 after the 31 August and before the 30 September shall be considered to take up

the remaining places.”

Amendment to bye-law 7 of the principal bye-laws

For bye-law 7 of the principal bye-laws there shall be substituted the

following

“Course Duration

7. The Course shall extend over a period of three years of full-time study

or the equivalent in part-time study.”

Amendment to bye-law 10 of the principal bye-laws

For paragraphs (1) to (6) of bye-law 10 of the principal bye-laws there

shall be substituted the following

“Field Placement

(1) There shall be a ield placement, comprising a period of observation

and/or teaching in an early childhood setting, under supervision, as determined by the

Board,

provided that for courses followed on a part-time basis there shall be at least three

field placements.

(2) The Board shall appoint a field placement Board of Examiners

that shall follow the University Assessment Regulations and any other procedure that

the Board may determine for the purpose of the Field Placement, provided that such

procedures are in conformity with the University Assessment Regulations.

(3) Students shall be required to obtain a Pass in all the field

placements, which shall be assessed on a Pass/Fail basis. The number of assessment

visits shall be stated in the Faculty guidelines but examiners may increase assessment

visits as they deem fit.

(4) Students shall be required to abide by the Field Placement Code

of Ethics and Code of Conduct published by the Board. Any breach of these Codes

shall be referred to the Board of Examiners of the field placement and may result in

a recommendation to Senate for expulsion from the Course.”

10. Paragraphs (7) and (8) of bye-law 10 shall be re-numbered as paragraphs

(5) and (6) of bye-law 10.

Amendment to bye-law 11 of the principal bye-laws

For bye-law 11 of the principal bye-laws there shall be substituted the

following

“Classification of the Award

11. (1)

The Final Weighted Average Mark for the purpose of the

classification of the Degree followed on full-time basis shall be based on the results

obtained in the three years of the full-time Course which shall be weighted as follows

First Year Average Mark

20%

Second Year Average Mark

30%

Third Year Average Mark

50%.

(2) The Final Weighted Average Mark for the classification of the

Degree followed on part-time basis shall be based on the results obtained in the five

years of the part-time Course all credits being weighted equally.”

Addition of bye-law 14 to the principal bye-laws

The following bye-law 14 shall be added after bye-law 13 of the

principal bye-laws

“Special Provisions for Part-Time Courses

The provisions of the foregoing bye-laws shall apply mutatis mutandis to

courses followed on a part-time basis, and subject to such changes as may reasonably

be deemed by the Board as necessary due to the part-time nature of the Course.”

€0.36