Myth Debunked: Misconceptions about Maltese students

There are several misconceptions about Maltese students, which have been articulated for decades.

However, through research, it is possible to confirm facts and debunk myths. The following results were extracted from the PISA 2022 survey through scales generated for a number of latent variables.

• A common perception is that Maltese male students are keener in seeking information about future careers than their female counterparts. However, the PISA survey revealed no gender discrepancy.

• Another perception is that Maltese male students are more stress-resistant, more assertive and more able to control their emotions than their female counterparts. This fact was confirmed by the PISA survey.

• Another perception is that local Maltese students perform better in education than immigrant students living in Malta.  However, the PISA survey revealed that in Malta, immigrant students performed better in mathematics, science and reading comprehension, compared to local ones.

• Another perception is that all Maltese students overly use digital resources for leisure activities. However, the PISA survey revealed that male students use these digital resources more than their female counterparts, particularly those attending state and Church schools.

• Another perception is that Maltese female students exhibit better prosocial behaviour and display more empathy towards their peers than their male counterparts. This fact was confirmed by the PISA survey.