20% of independent school students sit for ethics lessons

Just over 20% of independent school students sit for an ethics programme, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo has revealed.

Responding to a parliamentary question, Bartolo wrote that out of 5,934 independent school students, 1,235 or 20.8% sit for an ethics programme; 331 do so at a primary level and 901 sit for the programme at a secondary level, which can be further explained as 9.4% of primary independent school students and 38.1% of secondary independent school students.

Those independent school students who sit for an ethics course do not necessarily cease participating in religion courses, and vice versa.

“A course or programme on ethics is offered to students in formal education in an obligatory manner in a number of primary and secondary schools. In these schools where it is not being offered, legal obligations in the National Curriculum Framework are met through the Religion Programme,” the Minister wrote.

1,224 students opt for ethics lessons in state schools, and no students take ethics programmes in church schools as they are not offered in this sector.

On a national level, were 46,975 students sit for obligatory education, 2,459 students in total sit for an ethics programme, which is 5.2% of the total number of primary and secondary school students.

According to press reports, ethics is now offered in 13 government schools and in 14 middle and secondary schools. The course will be offered in six new primary schools and three new middle and secondary schools as from next year.