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James Debono
Students from the inner harbour area are the least represented in the Junior College Sixth Form, with 9 out of the 10 least represented localities in the post-secondary college hailing from the inner or outer harbour area.
On the other hand, middle-class northern villages predominate among the 10 most represented localities in the Junior College. The only two southern localities among the top 10 are Birzebbugia and Gudja.
This results from a MaltaToday analysis of statistics presented by Education Minister Louis Galea in parliament, where the number of students of each locality was calculated as a percentage of the number of people aged 15-24 in each locality, according to the latest census figures for 2005.
Xghajra, the southern locality set to host the Smartcity internet project does not even have a single student at Junior College out of a total of 171 youths aged 15-24. A further four students from Xghajra attend the Higher Secondary – the foundational post-secondary college.
The Three Cities and Valletta, once the cream of Maltese cultural, political and social life, today occupy the other four bottom positions.
On the other hand localities in the middle-class belt of Attard, Balzan, Lija and Iklin are all represented among the top 10. Significantly, northern and rural Mgarr is the third most represented locality while Pembroke, known for its mix of middle and working-class families, comes second.
The Higher Secondary, which attracts students who do not fulfil the qualifications to study at the Junior college, has a healthier balance between northern and southern localities. Southern village Zurrieq is the second most represented locality at the Higher Secondary, along with Zabbar and Zebbug among the 10 most represented localities.
On the other hand more middle-class localities like St Julians, Swieqi and Sliema – which occupy a mid-table position as regards representation at the Junior College – are all represented among the top 10 localities at the Higher Secondary.
Yet even in the academically less selective Higher Secondary, inner harbour localities like Isla, Valletta, Marsa, Bormla and Birgu predominate among the 10 least represented localities.
The statistics did not include figures for Gozitan localities.
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
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