A recent Eurostat study revealed that Malta ranks among the top European countries for the number of secondary school students learning multiple languages. Only Finland, Greece, and Italy reported a higher percentage of students studying more than one language.
According to the study, approximately 95% of Maltese secondary school students are learning two or more languages. While Maltese and English are mandatory subjects in the curriculum, students also have the opportunity to study additional languages such as French, Italian, German, and Spanish.
This strong emphasis on language education at the secondary level reflects Malta’s commitment to equipping students with multilingual skills in an increasingly interconnected world.
However, Malta’s performance at the primary level is less impressive, with fewer than 10% of primary school students learning more than one language. Despite this, when compared to countries such as Italy, Ireland, and Slovenia, Maltese primary students still performed relatively well.
This suggests that while language education in Malta excels at the secondary level, there is room for improvement in introducing multilingualism earlier in the educational system.
The study highlights the importance of language learning in building communication skills and preparing students for global opportunities, and Malta’s secondary school system stands out in this regard.
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