The rate of Malta’s early school leavers stood at 22.6 per cent in 2012 according to a document launched for consultation this afternoon.

For the first time, Malta has a figure that is comparable with that of other EU countries. The figure is calculated according to an international formula that takes into account students between the ages of 18 and 24 who did not get their O levels, explained National Statistics Office director general Michael Pace Ross.

Before this figure was calculated Malta used a method that was not compatible with other EU countries and the figure of early school leavers was calculated to be 36.9 per cent.

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said that, despite this improvement, there was still a lot of work to do. The rate of 22.6 per cent was still double the ideal of 10 per cent that the EU aimed to achieve in its EU2020 targets.

The minister was speaking during the launch of the consultation document on a strategy to tackle early school leavers. The document, he said, listed various recommendations that included spreading vocational training in secondary schools.

It also spoke about the need to set up structures to ensure that students in need of help were identified at an early stage.

He added that, in summer, Government would embark on a headcount of how many Form 5 students were continuing their studies.

The consultation process would come to an end in mid-May with a national conference, Mr Bartolo added. At the end of the month Malta would be able to inform the EU about its target percentage by which to reduce early school leavers.

He said that Malta would be ambitious in its target.