Secondary

Overview

Information on key aspects of a country’s education system, including governance, instructional language, and other structural features defined by national or regional regulations.

Ministry Responsible

Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation (MEYR, Ministru għall-Edukazzjoni, l-Isport, iż-Żgħażagħ, ir-Riċerka u l-Innovazzjoni)

Language of Instruction

Maltese

Duration

5 years (ages 12 to 17)

Grades 7 to 11

Levels

Lower secondary: Grades 7 to 8 (compulsory)

Upper secondary: Grades 9 to 11 (compulsory)

Qualifications, Curriculum, Grading

Not all awards or study patterns are included.

Institutions

Types and number of officially recognized institutions providing secondary education.

Source: Eurydice

Grading System

Examples of the most commonly used grading scales.

MATSEC Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) Grading Scale


MATSEC Matriculation Examination Grading Scale

Enrollment

Total Enrollment

Total enrollment in a specific level of education, regardless of age.

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

Gross Enrollment Ratio

Total enrollment in a specific level of education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the eligible official school-age population corresponding to the same level of education in a given school year.

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

International Benchmarks

PISA 2022 Mathematics

Malta

466.0

Global Rank

33 of 81

International Average

472.4

Source: OECD

PISA 2022 Science

Malta

465.6

Global Rank

36 of 81

International Average

484.6

Source: OECD

PISA 2022 Reading

Malta

445.3

Global Rank

39 of 81

PIRLS Scale Centerpoint

475.6

Source: OECD

TIMSS 2023 Mathematics Grade 8

Malta

499

Global Rank

18 of 44

International Average

478

Source: Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center

TIMSS 2023 Science Grade 8

Malta

501

Global Rank

19 of 44

International Average

478

Source: Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center

Lower Secondary Mathematics: Percentage of Proficient Students

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in mathematics.

Malta

67.4% (2022)

Global Rank

34 of 103

High Income Countries Average

70.9% (2019)

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

Lower Secondary Reading: Percentage of Proficient Students

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading.

Malta

63.7% (2022)

Global Rank

42 of 94

High Income Countries Average

80.5% (2019)

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics