Malta: Persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort)

Key figures

Since 1973 it is up 25.84 percentage points from 73.62% in 1973. The World Bank has no value for 16 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2022, Malta's persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort) rose 2.7 percentage points on 2021 (from 96.77% to 99.46%).

Across the 24 yearly changes before that (1978 to 2021), the average change was −0.56 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 2.96 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 3.67 percentage points in 1995 and the biggest yearly fall was 12.45 percentage points in 2008. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2013 to 2022 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 13% of the movement over 8 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2022, Malta had the 4th highest value of the 20 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Malta in the 2022 ranking

• Italy — 1st of 20: 99.9%
• Greece — 2nd of 20: 99.8%
• Singapore — 3rd of 20: 99.52%
• Slovenia — 5th of 20: 99.43%
• Belgium — 6th of 20: 99.23%
• Argentina — 7th of 20: 98.03%

What this measures

Persistence to grade 5 (percentage of cohort reaching grade 5) is the share of children enrolled in the first grade of primary school who eventually reach grade 5. The estimate is based on the reconstructed cohort method.

Limitations: The estimates have limitations in capturing real trend in that an observed rate will be applied to the underlying indicators such as repetition rate and promotion rate throughout the cohort life, and re-entrants, grade skipping, migration or transfers during a school year are not adequately captured.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 34 values

Persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort) in nearby economies

• Algeria — 92.68% (2021)
• Bahrain — 97.45% (2023)
• Djibouti — 72.68% (2022)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 99.84% (2020)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 96.18% (2022)
• Israel — 98.73% (2023)
• Jordan — 96.04% (2023)
• Lebanon — 95.4% (2022)
• Morocco — 94.48% (2023)
• Oman — 98.46% (2016)

More education data for Malta

• Primary school starting age (years) — 5 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 11 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 27,337 (2023)
• Secondary education, pupils — 32,424 (2023)
• Tertiary education, academic staff (% female) — 39.03% (2024)
• School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 112.49% (2020)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1 (2020)
• School enrollment, preprimary, female (% gross) — 112.49% (2020)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Malta's persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort)?

99.46% in 2022, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1973?

It is up 25.84 percentage points from 73.62% in 1973. The highest value was 99.46% in 2022 and the lowest 73.62% in 1973.

How does Malta rank?

4th highest of 20 economies with data for 2022.

Is the latest change in persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort) unusual for Malta?

In 2022, Malta's persistence to grade 5, total (% of cohort) rose 2.7 percentage points on 2021 (from 96.77% to 99.46%). Across the 24 yearly changes before that (1978 to 2021), the average change was −0.56 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 2.96 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.PRS5.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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