Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1093354
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 MARCH 2019 NEWS NOTICE BY THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION European Parliament Election – May 2019 NOTIFICATION by the Electoral Commission addressed to resident non-Maltese EU citizens who wish to vote in Malta for candidates standing for elections in Malta. Those persons already in possession of a valid Residence Card issued by Identity Malta Agency who had originally opted not to vote in Malta (i.e. they would vote in their home country) may become registered voters by completing and submitting an appropiate application form by 31st March 2019, which may be obtained from and deposited at the Local Council Office where the voter resides, at any Police Station and at the Electoral Offices (Valletta and Rabat, Gozo). The form may be downloaded from the Electoral Commission's website : https://electoral.gov.mt/Media/Default/Documents/DOWNLOADS/ ApplicationForms/MEPForm.pdf Completed forms may also be sent to the Electoral Offices, free of postal charge. Those persons who do not possess a valid Residence Card issued by Identity Malta need to apply at the Citizenship Department, Identity Malta Agency, Evans Building, Valletta, by not later than 31st March 2019. Upon doing so they must clearly sign their intention to vote in Malta binding themselves not to vote in this election in their home country. www.electoral.gov.mt JAMES DEBONO THE educational gender gap in Advanced matriculation exams has continued to in- crease, with 36% of girls born in 2000 getting MATSEC cer- tification when compared to 23% of boys, and 52% of girls compared to 35% of boys reg- istering for A-level exams. Females, especially those hailing from the south-east of Malta, are more likely to sit for A-levels than males, and more likely to get the results that take them to university. A statistical report issued by the MATSEC office shows that 29% of the 4,255 children born in 2000 qualified for the Matriculation Certificate, which makes them eligible to continue their studies in uni- versity. But while only 23% of 18-year-old males gained ac- cess to university-level educa- tion, 36% of females did like- wise. The overall percentage of matriculating 18-year-olds was similar to 2017, which was the highest since 2004. But the gap between males and females increased from 12 points in 2017 to 13 points in 2018. Indeed, the data shows that females are considerably more likely (52%) to register for A- levels than boys (35%). "This means that this year more than half of females born 18 years ago sat for Matricula- tion examinations at Ad- vanced and Intermediate lev- el, further increasing the gap between males and females in this regard," a MATSEC an- nual report notes. The gender imbalance in reg- istration is more pronounced in the southeastern region, More girls are sitting for their matriculation certificates to gain access to university education, revealing working-class boys to be the most disadvantaged in Malta's educational system Girls, better than boys… Males Females Percentage of males and females registering for A levels in 2018 by region North Harbour 41.9 58.1 South Harbour 43.1 56.9 South East 36.6 63.4 Western 46 54 Northern 40.9 59.1 Gozo 40.8 59.2 Localities with largest gender imbalance in registrations Zebbug Gozo 15 85 Gharghur 20.5 79.5 Swatar 21.2 78.8 Hamrun 25.8 74.2 Marsaskala 26.8 73.2 Nadur 29.3 70.7 Gudja 29.6 70.4 Siggiewi 29.6 70.4 Ghaxaq 32.5 67.4 Kalkara 33.3 66.7 Kirkop 33.3 66.7 today | SUNDAY • 17 MARCH 2019 Girls, better than boys… ALTERNATTIVA Demokra- tika has come out in opposition to the proposed development on the site of the Toyota show- room on Mdina Road in Zeb- bug, for the construction of an 11-story commercial and office tower. In a press conference yester- day, AD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said that when con- tacted, several Zebbug residents have expressed their concerns over the project. The development on Mdina Road will include restaurants, retail outlets, overlying nine floors and a penthouse dedicat- ed to office development. A separate five-storey block in Siggiewi road will include a 1,200sq.m supermarket at ground level, and overlying health and medical facilities. "The fight against moneyed interests which seek profit at the expense of the quality of people's lives will now move to Haz-Zebbug. This fight is eve- rybody's," Carmel Cacopardo said. The proposed development is AD slams proposed Zebbug development