Census confirms educational north-south divide

Malta's educational north-south divide has been confirmed by the 2011 census which revealed glaring contrasts between towns like Swieqi, where 30% of its population achieved a tertiary level of education, and Marsa, where just 3% has a tertiary level of education.

Overall, Malta's literacy rate rose from 92.8% in 2005 to 93.6% in 2011 and the percentage of those who have completed a tertiary level of education rose from 9% in 2005 to 14% in 2011.

It is evident that the relatively high illiteracy in some Maltese towns is a legacy from the dearth of educational facilities in the past: the high rates were mainly registered amongst those aged over 60.

But the educational system still fails 507 illiterate youths (aged 10-19) who are still attending school, or have just joined the ranks of the labour force, without being able to write and read.

The survey also reveals that 1,256 persons aged between 10 to 19 do not know any English while 2,105 only know a little English. This means that 7% in this age cohort are unable to speak properly in English.

18% of people aged between 15 and 19 have no educational qualifications while 14% left school with just a secondary school leaving certificate,

Illiterates under the age of 30 amounts to 1,497 - down from 2,330 in 2005. On the other hand, 12,872 persons over 60 are illiterate.

Girls doing it better
Boys constitute 71% of illiterate 10-19 year olds and 76% of illiterates aged between 20-29. Overall males constitute 61% of the illiterate population.

In an indication that girls are performing better in the education system, while 65% of girls have O levels or A levels, only 57% of boys have the same qualifications.

Among those aged 20-29, 15% of men have a first or second degree, but 23% of women have a university degree. Significantly while 1,148 women in this age group have a Master's degree, only 877 men have a Master's. And while 3,386 males have a first degree, 4,902 females have a similar degree.

Hotspots of illiteracy
Despite the marked decrease in illiteracy among the young, Valletta defies this trend.

In the capital city one in every 20 adolescents aged 10-19 in Valletta is illiterate. Valletta has seen an increase in this category from 3.8% in the 2005 census to 5.5% in the 2011 census.

But literacy improved in Bormla and Birgu, falling from 4.4% in 2005 to 2.2% in Bormla and 1.3% in Birgu.

Southern inner harbour towns continue to register the lowest levels of educational achievement: only 3% of Marsa's population and 4% of Bormla received a university level of education. Altogther, 9% of the population living in the south harbour region has had university education, while 18% of those living in the western region have received a similar education.

The census also confirms the link between affluence and educational achievements, with the highest levels of tertiary education registered in Malta's most affluent towns namely Swieqi, Sliema and St Julian's, and Attard, Balzan, Lija, Naxxar and Mdina.   In all these localities, between 25%-33% has been to university.

And since 2005, all Maltese towns saw a 5-7% increase in university-educated people since 2005.

On the other side, poorer working class localities register very low levels of tertiary education. These include Marsa, Bormla and Senglea where the percentage of university graduates is of less than 5%, and Hamrun and Qormi where only 7% have been to university. In the Cottonera area, Birgu and Kalkara register a slightly higher percentage.

Marsaskala, where 17% have been to university, emerges as the locality with the highest level of educational achievement in the south.

The same pattern can be observed in Gozo where the percentage of university-educated respondents rises to a high 18% in Rabat but falls to 9% in working-class Xewkija.