Secondary schools students will be offered a selection of vocational and applied subjects, apart from the traditional academic subjects, as from 2019, as part of a major reform in secondary schools.

Addressing a media briefing ahead of the official launch of the reform, Frank Fabri, director-general of education, said that the objective was to move from the existing "one-size-fits-all approach" to a system catering for students with different learning styles, especially those who preferred a hands-on approach.

Some of the new subjects include auto mechanics and engineering.

Mr Fabri emphasized that unlike the existing system, all subjects would lead to an O level certification. This would provide a seamless transition to the post-secondary sector, especially to MCAST.

Although the new system is based on similar models in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Finland, Malta will be the first to offer all the subjects within the same schools.

In the run-up to the new system, the university course leading to a degree in education will be reformed so as to cater for the new subjects.

As from next year, students who graduate from Mcast and ITS will be eligible to follow a course to teach the new vocational and applied subjects.

Mr Fabri said Church and Independent Schools would be welcome to join the new system and the government would be willing to make its resources available to them. A vast programme of infrastructural works would have to be carried out in secondary schools to enable them to provide the new subjects.