Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1226904
15 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 MARCH 2020 NEWS JAMES DEBONO GIRLS account for the majority of Maltese 'A' graders in 2019's results for O-levels, a MaltaTo- day analysis has confirmed. Girls shone in 10 out of 13 of the most popular subjects sat for in 2019, with church school can- didates accounting for the largest portion of A grades in nine out of 13 subjects. The analysis is based on Mat- sec data published earlier this month. Official statistics show that boys account for a majority of candi- dates obtaining the best grade only in three subjects, namely Maths (50.3%), Physics (52.1%) and Computer Studies (72.3%). A comparison with results in 2012 shows that girls have narrowed the gap with boys in mathematics. Back then, boys accounted for 55% of A grad- ers; now they are slightly above 50%, reflecting observation in studies like Luigi Guiso's, of the European University Institute in Florence, that say the gap in Maths scores tends to disappear in countries with higher levels of sexual equality. While boys performed better in Maths and Physics, girls outper- formed in Biology and Chemis- try: girls are also more likely to sit for exams in these two subjects than boys. Church school students, rep- resenting 36% of all secondary school students, were the main recipients of A grades in all sub- jects except Italian, where girls in state secondary schools prevail. Significantly, church school girls had the largest portion of A grades in English (26%) and Maltese (36%) and French (35%). They also get the best results in Chemistry (30%), Biology (29%) and Accounts (23%). Boys in church schools account for the largest portion of A graders in Maths (27%), Physics (29%) and Computer Studies (44%). Independent schools, which account for 11% of second- ary school population, did not feature among the A grades in any subject, except for English, English Literature, Italian and French. But they accounted for less of 3% of A graders in Maltese. The best results by independent schools were achieved by female candidates in English literature – 19% of A grades. On the other hand, state school boys were the least likely to ob- tain an A grade in all 13 sub- jects. Significantly, while girls in state schools account for 31% of A graders in Maltese, boys were just 3% of A graders. State school girls outperformed boys in all subjects except computer stud- ies. These results suggest the gap in top achievers between the state and private sector is much more pronounced between boys, than among girls. In fact, state school girls accounted for the largest portion of A graders in Italian and the second largest in English, Maltese, French, Accounts, Reli- gion and Environmental Studies. The PISA report of 2009 linked boys' lower performance, par- ticularly those from lower social and economic backgrounds, to a lack of interest in reading – on average they tend to be one year of schooling behind girls on read- ing, with the latter being more likely lovers of fiction. The report suggests it is the difference between boys' and girls' approach to learning that matters, with girls tending to be more positive about education in general. But apart from gender differ- ences, there are also differences in social class, where lower read- ing aptitude is found in disadvan- taged backgrounds. "Without the ability to read well enough to participate ful- ly in society, these students and their future families will have fewer opportunities to escape poverty and deprivation," the PI- SA report warns. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt English 7.7% 17.2% 15.3% 26.3% 14.8% 12.4% English Lit 3.5% 17% 10.6% 37.6% 11.3% 19.1% Maltese 3.4% 30.8% 19.7% 35.9% 2.5% 2.5% Maths 8% 13.5% 26.7% 23.6% 12% 7.1% Physics 4.3% 12.8% 29.3% 22.9% 14.4% 7.4% Chemistry 2.9% 17.1% 27.1% 30% 14.3% 1.4% Biology 1.4% 23.1% 27.5% 29% 1.4% 4.3% Italian 6.2% 27.8% 4.1% 16.5% 13.4% 16.5% French 2% 22.5% 13.7% 24.5% 11.8% 12.7% Accounts 5.5% 18.3% 10% 23.3% 16.7% 8.4% Computer 9.1% 8.5% 44.7 12.8% 8.5% 6.4% Env. Sci. 5% 22.5% 10% 35% 7.5% 15% Religion 4.4% 23.5% 23.5% 33.8% 2.9% 8.8% State M State F Church M Church F Ind. M Ind. F A-grades in Maltese schools English Eng. Lit. Maltese Maths Physics Chemistry Biology Italian French Accounts Computer Environmental Religion 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 39.2% 60.7% 26.2% 73.8% 27.4% 72.6% 50.3% 49.7% 52.1% 47.9% 47.1% 52.9% 33.3% 66.7% 27.8% 72.2% 23.5% 76.5% 41.7% 58.3% 72.3% 27.7% 25% 75% 32.4% 67.6% Males Females Gender divide among A-graders Female 15-year-olds are more likely to get an A in all subjects, except Computer, Physics and Maths, with church school girls emerging as top achievers O-levels: Girls outperform boys in A grades