A third of students who continued with their post-secondary studies opted for social sciences, business and law, according to new data.

According to the National Statistics Office, 69,838 students were in formal education in the academic year 2012-2013, at par with previous years. State-run institutions taught 70 per cent of students, while those at Church and independent schools totalled 15,533 and 5,351, respectively.

The NSO noted that there were 46,376 students enrolled in mandatory education – 23,655 in primary schools and 22,721 in secondary schools. The average class size at primary level was lowest in State schools, while independent schools at secondary level had the smallest class sizes.

Some 4.3 per cent of those enrolled in formal education were foreigners, an increase of 0.6 per cent over the previous year. The highest proportion of foreign students was noted in tertiary education (5.9 per cent), while the largest increase (1.3 per cent) was in post-secondary vocational institutions. The majority were EU nationals. The most popular fields of study among tertiary students were social sciences, business and law, followed by health and welfare, and science. Engineering and science were most popular among male students, while women had a stronger presence in education, health and welfare.