Subject choice and performance in SEC biology : patterns according to gender and school type in Malta

Abstract

Malta's educational system has three levels – a six-year primary cycle (ages 5 to 11), five years of secondary school, and tertiary education – and three school types: the state, the Church and the independent schools. The MATSEC Examinations Board of the University of Malta offers circa 40 subjects at the 16+ Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) level and over 30 subjects at the 18+ Intermediate (IM) and Advanced Matriculation (AM) levels. One needs six SEC passes for entry into mainstream Sixth Form, including one of the three sciences. Entry to the University of Malta requires the Matriculation Certificate (MC), comprising two AM and four IM subjects. The MC includes a language, a science subject and a humanistic or commercial subject. Some subjects are taught throughout secondary school while others are optional, starting at Form 3. Integrated Science is taught in Forms 1 and 2, and (at least) one of the science subjects is compulsory as from Form 3. The study traces the number of registrations in the three sciences through the last ten years and investigates the reasons behind subject choice. It compares patterns in subject choice, registration and performance according to gender and school type. The main focus of the study is Biology, leading to a Maltese Biology ‘map’ within an encompassing science ‘map’. This ‘snapshot’ will be enhanced by stakeholder perceptions of the subject, according to gender and school type.