Education Minister Evarist Bartolo. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

A new programme was expected to start today for some 350 fifth formers who had not applied to sit for their O level examinations, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said yesterday.

It will include work and academic training to help youths who usually fell by the wayside without receiving any support.

Addressing a political meeting in Ħamrun, Mr Bartolo said it was unacceptable that half of all fifth formers either did not sit for their O level exams or were successful in only one or two subjects.

Also unacceptable was that only 17 out of every 100 students attending a foundation course at the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology continued their studies.

“I worry when I hear that Malta has almost 6,000 young people between 16 and 24 who are neither studying nor working or training and are not registering for employment,” Mr Bartolo said.

He said his ministry was focusing on instilling vocational training in the education system, filling a vacuum following the closure of trade schools.

I worry when I hear almost 6,000 young people between 16 and 24 are neither studying, working nor training

This was part of efforts to link the education sector with the needs of industry, he said.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat urged parents to encourage their children to continue their studies, saying Malta needed more people with skills in mathematics, statistics and language, among other areas.

“This country cannot afford to continue losing its human resources,” Dr Muscat said.

Education was key, he said, referring to Mr Bartolo’s figures that half of the 5,300 jobs created in the first nine months of the new Administration had been filled by foreigners.

Dr Muscat said several employers had told him they were unable to recruit Maltese possessing basic skills.

Questioning why some islanders were reluctant to take up certain jobs, he said the government wanted to ensure that conditions of work were fair and that people were encouraged to work rather than rely on social benefits.