The education minister says he is “definitely not” satisfied with this year’s O-level performance that saw four out of every 10 students fail their exams.

According to the SEC results, 20% of students performed so badly that they received an unclassified ‘U’ grade, 11% received grades between 6-8, which are fail marks, and 6.7% were absentees.

“I am definitely not (satisfied),” Clifton Grima said, when asked about the grades. “We want to work so that every child that sits for exams has the necessary tools to achieve results.”

But Grima said a portion of the blame can be attributed to an increase in young people sitting for their O-levels because of government policy to remove exam fees.

Asked if an upcoming education strategy will have specific measures to improve results for year 11s, Grima said that change needs to come at an early stage.

Students typically sit for their SEC exams, also known as O-levels, immediately after finishing secondary school in year 11.

Grima said the government is working to change the way students are assessed, with less focus on exams.

“We are planning that 30 per cent of the student’s final (O-level) grade will come from the teacher’s assessment in the last three years of secondary school,” he said. 

“All children have potential, whoever they are, but have different inclinations,” Grima said, adding that some young people have academic inclinations while others are more skill-based.

The students who did not receive the grades they wanted should not be disheartened, he said.

Maltese language pass rate 60%

He reminded students that the government is offering free O-level revision before the September re-sits and several post-secondary institutions also enroll students who have not passed all their exams.

When it came to Maltese language O-level results, the pass rate was 60%, compared to a 73% pass rate for English language exams.

Grima said this could be explained because one out of five students in compulsory education are ­not Maltese. 

“This makes a big difference in the way we must look at this subject (Maltese) that is so close to our heart.”

The government needs to take “conscious and courageous” decisions and safeguard Maltese as a language but also that students have the necessary skills to use the language effectively, Grima said