A total of 65 schoolchildren got fewer than 25 marks out of a 100 in their Maltese and English exams in the 2017/2018 academic year, as part of the assessment when completing primary school.
These represent 2.8 per cent of the total assessed.
Education Minister Evarist Bartolo was replying to a parliamentary question by MP Ivan Bartolo on the levels of illiteracy for children who had completed their primary school education.
There were also 83 students who were exempted from the exams, either because of learning difficulties, because there were forecign, or because they had been in Malta for less than two years.
The students came form various localities as per below, with Qormi leading the table with eight students, and Birkirkara not far behind with seven.
Qormi 8
Birkirkara 7
Attard 4
Cospicua 4
Naxxar 4
Għaxaq 4
Ħamrun 3
Two each: Mosta, Mqabba, San Ġwann, Sta Venera, Żabbar, Żurrieq.
One each: Balzan, Birżebbuġa, Buġibba, Dingli, Marsaxlokk, Mellieħa, Mġarr, Msida, Qawra, Qrendi, Sta Lucia, St Paul's Bay,Swatar, Swieqi, Valletta, Vittoriosa, Xgħajra, Żejtun.