Malta has one of the highest bullying rates reported by 10-year-olds, according to an international study, Labour spokesman Evarist Bartolo said yesterday.

Mr Bartolo was speaking at a press conference where he presented figures from the 2011 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), which was published on Tuesday.

The study reconfirmed serious shortcomings in the Maltese education system, he said, adding Maltese children classified below the international average when it came to reading and understanding skills.

This study was carried out with 10-year-olds in 49 countries and Malta was in 38th place.

Hong Kong students topped the list, followed by Russia, Finland, Singapore and Northern Ireland.

Malta is among the last 12 countries, followed by Iran, Saudi Arabia and Morocco, Mr Bartolo said.

Countries that spend less than Malta when it comes to education, such as Poland, did better than the island, and others that spend more – such as Saudi Arabia – got a lower classification.

This study did not just indicate children’s reading skills but also gave a clear picture of school administration, resources and parents’ perceptions, among others.

It also shows that Maltese students report one of the highest bullying rates: 58 per cent of Maltese kids reported bullying at least once a month (36 per cent) or once a week (22 per cent), Mr Bartolo added.

When it comes to parents’ perceptions, only 13 per cent expect their children to get a postgraduate degree and a quarter expect them to achieve a university grade.

This report shows the need of collaboration with – and not the imposition on – teachers, the need for more school resources and the need that children receive education before they reach the age of three, Mr Bartolo added.