Malta has ranked 28th out of 50 countries in a study gauging mathematical skills.
The Trend in International Mathematics and Science Study (Timss) was published inter-nationally in December but was only made public yesterday by the new Education Minister Evarist Bartolo.
The same report had put Malta in 40th place for science.
Carried out in 2011 across 96 schools, Timss involved more than 3,600 Year Five pupils selected randomly from 62 State, 22 Church and 12 inde-pendent schools.
On average, independent school pupils scored significantly higher in mathematics than Church school students, who in turn scored better than State school children.
Mr Bartolo said State schools faced the biggest challenge in the education sector as independent and Church school children went to school well-prepared by their families or guardians at home.
He called on parents to boost their efforts at home and engage children in discussions where they would have to apply their know-ledge in everyday situations.
He noted that Maltese pupils scored higher in mathematical tasks requiring knowledge, lower when it came to applying know-ledge, and even lower in tasks that require reasoning. Malta scored lower...
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