Training

The school system is built on the British model. The teaching is good in both Maltese and English. The education is free of charge up to the university level.

School compulsory schooling for children between 5 and 16 years. The children go first to a lower stage of six years. Then follows a higher stage of five to seven years. After five years of higher education, students can choose a vocational course or a university preparatory academic course.

Malta has many private schools. Most private schools are run by the Catholic Church, but are subsidized by the state and tuition is free of charge. About 30 percent of all students attend schools run by the church.

• COUNTRYAAH: Country facts of Malta, including geography profile, population statistics, and business data.

Practically all children attend elementary school, but there is still a small part of the population who cannot read and write, especially among older Maltese.

The University of Malta was founded in 1769 but dates back to the 16th century when the Jesuits founded Collegium Melitense. Many Maltese study at universities abroad.

• Andyeducation: Introduction to education system in Malta, including compulsory schooling and higher education.

FACTS – EDUCATION

Proportion of children starting primary school

97.6 percent (2016)

Number of pupils per teacher in primary school

13 (2016)

Reading and writing skills

93.3 percent (2011)

Public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP

13.2 percent (2015)

Public expenditure on education as a percentage of the state budget

13.2 percent (2015)

2016

April

New government

April 29

On April 29, the government is reformed and several ministers replaced. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat takes over energy issues.

The government can handle a vote of no confidence

April 18

The opposition’s proposal to issue a declaration of no confidence in the government is voted down by the numbers 38 to 31. The vote was held after the energy minister and a chief of staff of the prime minister were identified as belonging to the politicians and well-known people in many countries who were reportedly hiding money by hiring a law firm in Panama to open bank accounts in various tax havens. The information came out in the so-called Panama Papers, which an international network of digging journalists produced and published in April 2016 in various media around the world.