Education Minister Louis Galea said the National Curriculum was set to link science and technology in primary schools, although mathematics would still be considered a separate subject.

He said that although in the secondary school sector, all three subjects are still being thought of as separate, the National Curriculum Council, through the particular focus groups which are tackling these areas will be reviewing the current practices and will be proposing new and more coordinated ways of bringing these subjects to the students.

The minister was opening a three-day conference on the theme `Linking science, mathematics and technology education and their social relevance` at the Forum Hotel, St Andrew`s, yesterday.

The conference was organised by the Commonwealth Association for Science Technology and Mathematics Educators (European Branch) together with the Faculty of Education at the University of Malta, the Education Division and the British Council.

Dr Galea also mentioned recent developments in the secondary and post-secondary sectors as a result of the trade schools reform and the opening of the Malta College of Arts Science and Technology.

He said that although there was still a long way to go, these developments were a steady foundation for further improvement and dissemination of this area of study.

Dr Galea said that technology education would eventually be taught in all secondary schools and also at primary level.

With regards to MCAST the minister said that students now had an alternative route to higher education through this vocational institution.