The startling rise in the number of students not showing up for their O-level exams was merely due to the elimination of exam fees this year, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo believes. 

Official results published by the Matsec board this week show that the number of absent students more than doubled between 2018 and 2019 in English language and literature, Maltese and physics. 

The smallest increase in absentees was in maths, where the figure nevertheless rose from 5.3 per cent to 8.6 per cent in one year. 

However, Mr Bartolo said he was not worried by the trend, which he said was a direct consequence of exam fees being scrapped. 

“People who would not have bothered to apply for or sit for the exams now felt they could just put their names down anyway,” Mr Bartolo said. 

According to the Matsec board, the number of students applying for the exams rose to an all-time high of 94.1 per cent this year, compared to 90.3 per cent last year. 

Mr Bartolo said a worrying trend that had emerged – though he said it did not appear to be widespread – included reports of students showing up for the exams with the sole purpose of disrupting other candidates.  

“We will be sitting down with the examinations department and the Matsec board and take stock of what has happened and address any concerns that may exist,” he said. 

We will take stock of what has happened

Overall, more than 44 per cent of 16-year-olds obtained the entry requirements for Sixth Form in this year’s exam session, an increase of 1.1 per cent – or 135 students – compared to 2018.  

Mr Bartolo said the results were within the range education authorities were used to seeing and also within international ranges for good education systems. 

He stressed, however, the need for the education system to cater for those who were not currently succeeding.

“I am sure our young people are much better than how the education system classifies them,” he said. 

“I think we need to keep asking ourselves what we are teaching, how we are teaching and how we are assessing what we are teaching, to make sure that all the skills, abilities and competencies our young people have are properly developed and recognised. 

“There is still a lot to be done in that direction.”