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3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 15 FEBRUARY 2026 NEWS intervention repaying tax Students sitting for more subjects in SEC exams New assessment model and school registrations could be driving students to diversify their choices according to MATSEC report THE recently published MAT- SEC Statistical Report for 2025 shows that Maltese students sitting for the O-level exams are increasingly diversifying their subject selections. They are also sitting for more exams. The 2025 SEC session, the first under a revised assessment model, offers a more holistic pic- ture of student achievement and highlights the growing influence of digital tools and school-based assessments. More students sitting for 10 exams Data indicates that most 16-year-olds now register for nine to 10 subjects. A total of 1,726 students (901 girls and 825 boys) sat for 10 subjects in 2025, up from 1,383 in 2024. A further 832 registered for nine subjects while 175 boys and 353 girls sat for 11 and more subjects. These include four students who sat for exams in 15 subjects. Experts attribute this rise in the number of subjects chosen to enhanced MATSEC portal functions that allow schools to track candidate registrations more efficiently, as well as the introduction of School-Based Assessment (SBA), which counts for 30% of the final mark. Students who perform well in SBA are often encouraged to sit for formal exams, increas- ing registrations across a wider range of subjects. Schools may also encourage candidates to register for all subjects studied during the year. The expanded subject offers under the revised SEC framework, now compris- ing 46 subjects, is also reflected in a broad distribution of regis- trations. Girls more likely to take all three science subjects The report highlights persis- tent gender differences in sub- ject choice. Female students are more likely to complete a full science track, with 336 taking biology, chemistry, and physics compared to 229 males. Overall, only 13.9% of candidates regis- tered for all three sciences. Lan- guages remain highly popular, with 81.2% of students sitting at least one foreign language. Girls continue to outnumber boys, particularly in French and Italian. However, relatively few candidates — 10.9% — sit for more than one foreign language, though girls are again more like- ly to do so. Sector Disparities Performance gaps between school sectors remain pro- nounced. Female candidates dominate the highest attain- ment band (level 3) across most subjects. Only 24.9% of state school students opted for the highest Level 3 Mathematics exam, compared with 54.6% in Church schools and 66.7% in independent schools. This dis- parity contributes to lower av- erage outcomes for state school candidates and reflects endur- ing structural inequalities in the education system. The rise of marketing at advanced level At advanced level, registrations for marketing have reached re- cord highs, making it the most popular subject within its group. A total of 583 students sat for advanced Marketing and 496 for intermediate. By contrast, Religious Knowledge is among the least popular, with only 37 candidates at advanced level and 99 at intermediate. One factor behind this decline is the rise of Psychology, chosen by 826 students at intermedi- ate level. Sociology is also rel- atively popular, attracting 236 advanced and 347 intermediate candidates. Overall, English remains the most popular subject at both advanced (696) and intermedi- ate level (1,036), despite a slight decline in numbers. Maltese was chosen by 453 at advanced level and 201 at inter- mediate. Meanwhile, entries for Pure Mathematics and Physics ap- pear to have stabilised after a drop in 2016, while advanced Applied Mathematics remains the least popular subject within the science group. JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Meanwhile, the seller con- tinues to chase her for confir- mation that the issue has been settled. Two properties for the price of one Nicky Psaila Savona signed a promise of sale in 2018 and the final contract in 2019. He had known the notary per- sonally. "He was a friend, and we had collaborated on a num- ber of projects," he said. "Work appeared to be normal, and he was always his normal self when we met." Delays first emerged during notarial searches, which he said had taken longer than usual. But irregularities surfaced when the final contract was signed. "The property description was wrong. When I faced him with the issue, he quoted some part of the law in Latin to jus- tify it. I'm no lawyer or notary, I'm not going to keep hounding him over it." It later emerged the notary had also included the property above the maisonette he had purchased, effectively placing two properties in his name. Acting in good faith, Psaila Savona relinquished the addi- tional property. Psaila Savona had paid the tax he was due and the seller had provided a bank draft for the remaining amount. However, the draft was found in a drawer at the notary's home when po- lice raided the property. It had never been deposited with the tax authorities. Eventually, Psaila Savona had to repay €8,500 and spent a year correcting and settling his position, paying over and above that amount. "We were friends. We used to eat out together," she said. "He screwed his own friends — even his best friend since he was five years old." Victim forced to come out of retirement Another victim who chose to remain anonymous was living abroad at the time the pur- chase was made. She had chosen to invest in the property using money she had saved during her time working abroad, but things quickly turned south. Around a year after she bought the property in 2017, the police had reached out to inform her of Vella's situation. She had initially paid around €20,000 to Thomas Vella, but having to re-register the house again, she had to pay a further €23,000. "I feel stupid, angry, duped and mad all at the same time. I just paid out the money because I wanted the ordeal to be over," she said. The victim ended up re-sell- ing what should have been the retirement home of her dreams. "I just couldn't bear the bad memories that came with it, and I sold it," she said. Calls for government to step in As victims continue searching for a solution to the long-drawn saga they have faced for almost a decade, they are looking to- wards the government for help. So far, it's been all in vain. Despite the Ombudsman's recommendation, and meet- ings with ministers and the no- tary to government Keith Fran- cis German, victims remain in legal limbo. They are arguing government should allow them to register the property without having to pay their tax dues again. The consumer association in- sists Thomas Vella was a pub- lic notary acting as a state in- termediary, and therefore the state should take that context into consideration. "We are still seeking an am- icable solution and have pro- posed practical safeguards, including a temporary redress mechanism for existing vic- tims, the creation of a Notar- ial Compensation Fund, and the introduction of a dedicat- ed Inland Revenue account so that property taxes are no longer paid through notaries," Pauline Azzopardi said. "Every year, our Association's AGM approves consumer protection resolutions. One such reso- lution specifically addresses payment systems to prevent notarial fraud—an issue that has already cost consumers millions of euros."