Malta

The majority of children attend a state or private kindergarten before beginning primary school. In 1988 the National Minimum Curriculum for kindergartens and primary schools was established. The new curriculum was transformed into specific objectives, and newly designed courses were introduced in 1990. About eleven examinations are given at the end of primary education.

In the 1990s adult and evening classes were expanded to meet the needs of students and working professionals. The Further Studies and Adult Education Department began publishing an official catalog of evening courses in 1996. A cable television channel broadcast its first live transmission during an education fair in 1996, initiating a new avenue for distance learning.

The Maltese educational system, once highly politicized, now serves to provide students with the academic and technical skills needed to help the country participate in the European economy. Malta's ties to the European Union, expanding tourist industry, and greater dependence on international relations indicates that the government will continue to devote resources to provide students with a quality education.