Lawyers from Balzan, engineers from Zabbar

While affluent northern and central localities still prevail among the traditional professions, most new engineers hail from southern localities, according to statistics on students graduating last year, which were presented in parliament.

Tiny Balzan, which numbers less than 1% of the Maltese population, accounts for 5.4% of newly graduated doctors and 7% of new lawyers.

While six students graduating as doctors of medicine hailed from Balzan, only five were from Malta’s largest town nearby, Birkirkara. Moreover while seven students from Balzan were awarded a doctorate in law only one of last year’s 95 newly graduated lawyers were from Birkirkara.

But when it comes to engineering it is southern localities, which emerge on top.

Seven (10%) of the 72 students who were awarded a bachelorhood in engineering came from Zabbar, followed by five students from Zurrieq and Zebbug.

The statistics show that Attard is one of the best places to live to secure a good education for your children: Attard can boast of six new doctors of medicine, 12 bachelors of commerce, eight new bachelors of law, four bachelors in engineering and architecture, five new notaries public, three engineers and five new teachers.

Marsaskala – one of Malta’s youngest towns – also fares relatively well, accounting for five new surgeons, six new bachelors of law, four new notaries public, two teachers and two engineers.  

This could reflect the varied class composition of the southern seaside town.

The statistics show that the north south educational divide is not reflected among recruits for the teaching profession. While northern Mosta, which is also Malta’s second largest town, tops the list with 15 new teachers, it is followed by San Gwann (10), Zurrieq (8), Naxxar (8), Fgura (7) and Birzebbugia (6).

Significantly 20 of those awarded a bachelorhood in education hailed from Gozo, which accounts for 12% of the total number of new teachers.

Gozo, which accounts for 7% of the population, accounted for 7% of new doctors of medicine, 10% of bachelors of law, 4% of doctors of law and 11% of new engineers.    

Graduates from the Faculty of Arts tend to reflect the country’s demographics, with most new graduands hailing from Mosta and Birkirkara, which are the country’s largest towns.